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JohnnyTwoEyes wrote:Plato stated in The Republic that the best kind of ruler is a wise man who does not want the job, but is willing to do it for the benefit of the State.

the trouble is, how do you tell the difference between someone who doesn't want it, but is willing to do it, and someone who DOES want it, and is willing to lie to you?

kite-san wrote:

JohnnyTwoEyes wrote:Plato stated in The Republic that the best kind of ruler is a wise man who does not want the job, but is willing to do it for the benefit of the State.

the trouble is, how do you tell the difference between someone who doesn't want it, but is willing to do it, and someone who DOES want it, and is willing to lie to you?

Beat them with sticks until you can tell if their intentions are pure.

JohnnyTwoEyes wrote:Beat them with sticks until you can tell if their intentions are pure.

if nothing else you have a good time with some S&M

LindaH wrote:

JohnnyTwoEyes wrote:Beat them with sticks until you can tell if their intentions are pure.

if nothing else you have a good time with some S&M

I didn't mean the fun kind of beating, but I guess it works.

I read one science fiction novel where this planet chooses it's leaders by castrating, total amputating their limbs , and plucking their eyes out in a very painful manner. It eliminates the power hungry and ambitious, and ensures the leaders are sigularly focused on the task.

In Terry Pratchett's Small gods, a political system was described wherein a man, in order to be voted supreme ruler for a fixed period of time, had to prove that he was capable of performing the job well and was without any kind of fault whatsoever.
Of course, as soon as he entered the office, even if he was the best man of all the land - he was automatically considered a rotten bastard you wouldn't want to cross.

In David Eddings' Tamuli, a democratic system was described that had a unique deterrent to fools and the greedy; as soon as someone was induced into office (read: often forced), they had to give up all their material property to the state. During their tenure, they were well taken care of, but not paid ... They had to work hard so the country - specifically its economy - would flourish and allow them to survive once their tenure was up.

And then we have the cold, hard reality of modern-day America.

...

Which system would you prefer?

We should go with the Ecksian method and put every politician in jail as soon as they're elected. ('The Last Continent' is temporarily living on my computer desk while I go through the agonising process of winnowing my library so there's enough shelf space for all.)

Hmmm, I know that there are a few certain folk (Dear Honor, I'm thinking of you perchance ) around here that may appreciate this link to this three part doco (don't get bored already, it's free, and full of BBC goodness )

By no means do I necessarily agree with everything that this documentary, "Baby It's Cold Outside - The Power of Nightmares," has to say, but it's pretty fantastic food for thought and it is also in the creative commons (YAY!) and good God there should be more of that!
Although I will freely admit that it does lack a certain element of rampaging tenticular bondage that we all love and enjoy, but Henry Kissinger's hair does do a good erstwhile impersonation of such lovliness..... Don't worry, he's only in part 2.
Amongst other things, the film charts the origins, rise and parallels between US/UK Neo-conservatism and the fundamentalist Muslim movement; and also the culture of fear that permits our present state of affairs and governments.
You can download it all, or just stream the the three parts from the site

http://www.archive.org/details/ThePowerOfNightmares

Enjoy

Indigo Violent wrote:We should go with the Ecksian method and put every politician in jail as soon as they're elected. ('The Last Continent' is temporarily living on my computer desk while I go through the agonising process of winnowing my library so there's enough shelf space for all.)

Why thin down the library when there is still a ceiling to attach extra shelves to, there is always space for more books!

On the subject of rulers, I think Rome had a pretty solid idea with requiring two top dogs, they may have taken longer to make decisions (thus the whole only one ruler while at war thing) but it did cut down on the whole power mad bit.

Give me a Grecian with their gloriously adept dildos (complete with moveable doo-dad's, 2000 years old found just outside Pompiae <sp>) any day of the week

I think we have to give H.L. Mencken the last word on this one:

"As democracy is perfected, the office of the president represents more and more closely the inner soul of the people. On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron."--H.L. Mencken