I'm not sure if this should be here or on the political forums, but.... here it goes...

Is our political system efficint at all? That question came to my mind when I was in Ottawa. I was taking some pictures and this woman, that appeared to be a politician, came to me and asked if I would like her to take my picture. I said no, thanks I'm fine, but I wonder what would have happened if I would have a dicussion about the system, which a politician. It was an intersting timing too because I was in Ottawa to go to the Brasilian embassy (for those who don't know, i'm brasilian), and I needed to go there to justify why I didn't show up for the military draft. I was annoyed because there were all this stupid non-sense bureaucratic rules that I had to follow. So the questions in my mind were: "is it worth to have a political system? And if it is, is it efficient?"

The answer came up pretty quickly. No. There's one thing about our system that gives away the fact that the system is full of flaws. And that is law. Ok. Why would we have a whole law system if the political system is perfect? Isn't that strange? If the political system was perfect, our society would be happy and nobody would need to commit crimes. So why do we have laws? Maybe they were created to protect those that are rich and powerful. I mean... what people do doesn't really matter. If you are full of money, chances are that you can buy your innocence. How? What about good lawyers? Can a poor person afford a good lawyer? No. Can a rich person afford? Yep. Not only that, they can even bribe people.

But anyways.... I think the political system is extremely corrupt. And the fact that this does not appear clearly to us makes me fell kinda... insecure.

Aside from that, there doesn't seem to be any order at all. I mean... the law doesn't prevent people from commiting crimes. People still commit crimes even tough they know they can be charged. Not only that, but the system simply doesn't work. About 90% of all crimes commited finish either unreported or unsolved. I'm sorry I don't have the statistics here, but what I can say is that I read that in the New York Times.

So what does that tell us about the law? If the law can only solve 10% of crimes, how can there be order out of the other 90%? Maybe we just live in an anarchy. Maybe we have the belief and impression that there is order, but there isn't really any real order.

Then, if the law doesn't work, and the law was created to fix the imperfections of our political system, what does that tell us about our political system?

Does it work at all?

I think the law was created to deal with the imperfection of humans, things like greed, vengeance, violence, hate and so on. Since politicians are also only human, it cannot be perfect, just like the law, which was also made by humans, is not perfect.

Of course our political system (well, depends on where you live) is corrupt, but that is not the fault of the political system, it is the fault of the humans that created and maintain that political system.

Is our political system efficient?

No, but thats not necessarily a bad thing; There's a strong inverse square correlation between the efficiency of a system and the concentration of power. Inneficiency simply means power is widely distributed, (our freedoms aren't threatened by a dictatorship.) On the flipside, there's a bit of a 'mob rule'..we become a danger to ourselves.

And why do we need laws?

Not everybody acts on christian morality like you, TS. ;) The need for christianity during lawless times is sprung by the same need for laws during modern times-- to control the popluace. Government as we know it has become a form of religion. Evenutally, it may itself wither and be replaced by a new institution (corporations perhaps?)

Laws are the freedoms we trade for security.

I think the law was created to deal with the imperfection of humans, things like greed, vengeance, violence, hate and so on. Since politicians are also only human, it cannot be perfect, just like the law, which was also made by humans, is not perfect.
Sure. But wouldn't the fact that people commit crimes be an indication that the system is unfair, and that the needs of people are not met? Because if they were satisfied, they wouldn't need to commit crimes, right?

Of course our political system (well, depends on where you live) is corrupt, but that is not the fault of the political system, it is the fault of the humans that created and maintain that political system.
Yep. That's why I wonder whether we should have a political system at all!

I think the law was created to deal with the imperfection of humans, things like greed, vengeance, violence, hate and so on. Since politicians are also only human, it cannot be perfect, just like the law, which was also made by humans, is not perfect.

Of course our political system (well, depends on where you live) is corrupt, but that is not the fault of the political system, it is the fault of the humans that created and maintain that political system.

Well put. However, you are guilty of anticipatory plagiarism... :D

"My NEEDS aren't being met!"

"DROP some of your needs!.."

- G. Carlin


But seriously, which needs are you referring to?

Offer some examples of needs that are being ignored which would force so
many people to impede on the liberties of others.

Well put. However, you are guilty of anticipatory plagiarism... :D

Oh, how so? :D

"My NEEDS aren't being met!"

"DROP some of your needs!.."

- G. Carlin


But seriously, which needs are you referring to?

Offer some examples of needs that are being ignored which would force so
many people to impede on the liberties of others.
Are you talking with me?

More then 1 billion people suffer from starvation. Their needs are not met.
Also, they don't have clean water - and sometimes no water at all....

Plus, the great majority of humans live without ever satisfying their most basic needs.

This is all in an UN website. I gotta find it again....


But the major point is that the US consume about 9 hectares of land, while the world average is 1.6 hectares of land....

Oh, and that forces them to kill or harm others to satisfy their basic needs ?
Poor majority and their unfulfilled, unclear needs. :rolleyes:

However, I do agree that everyone should have basic needs taken care of
or at least available to them in a satisfactory condition (ex. water quality),
after which any extra is theirs to acquire through work and trade. That isn't
what I was arguing earlier...

Oh, and that forces them to kill or harm others to satisfy their basic needs ?
Wha said that?

Poor majority and their unfulfilled, unclear needs. :rolleyes:
That's because you are not in the majority :bugeye:
Btw, their needs are quite clear.

However, I do agree that everyone should have basic needs taken care of or at least available to them in a satisfactory condition (ex. water quality), after which any extra is theirs to acquire through work and trade.
Sure.

That isn't what I was arguing earlier...
But that is what I'm arguing here.