Democracy Inevitably Leads to Totalitarianism

[bilbobaggins]

My first article for The Libertarian Christian Institute has been published. In it, I argue that America, like any system with democracy, will inevitably lead to authoritarianism, as we are experiencing today.


Democracy Inevitably Leads to Totalitarianism
https://libertarianchristians.com/2024/11/29/democracy-inevitably-leads-to-totalitarianism/

[KreKre]

Many westerners, especially Americans, like to pretend that democracy is greater than communism, but they are wrong.

Democracy is nothing more than communism. It has no value above communism. It is communism, dressed up to be softer and easier to swallow for the masses (which makes it more dangerous).

It is clear to anyone who gave it any thought, that democracy is gravely opposed to God's natural order. There is a reason our Lord taught us to pray: "Thy Kingdom come", instead of "Thy autonomous workers' collective come" or any similar communist nonsense. Democracy is a rebellion against God's authority and an offense against His Majesty.

[bilbobaggins]

Many westerners, especially Americans, like to pretend that democracy is greater than communism, but they are wrong.

Democracy is nothing more than communism. It has no value above communism. It is communism, dressed up to be softer and easier to swallow for the masses (which makes it more dangerous).

It is clear to anyone who gave it any thought, that democracy is gravely opposed to God's natural order. There is a reason our Lord taught us to pray: "Thy Kingdom come", instead of "Thy autonomous workers' collective come" or any similar communist nonsense. Democracy is a rebellion against God's authority and an offense against His Majesty.

Amen!

[james03]

Many westerners, especially Americans, like to pretend that democracy is greater than communism, but they are wrong.

That goes too far.  Democracy leads to communism, and is evil.  However a liberal democrat is better than a communist.  In a democracy you are a partial slave to the State, but after you pay them their protection money, you still have some of your natural rights.  Under communism, you are a total slave and have no rights.

[Miriam_M]

Communism is fundamentally un-Catholic, far beyond what James just posted.

1. It was born in an atheistic worldview.

2. It substitutes the State for God -- in effect, worshipping the State.  It can be argued, of course --as has been done here-- that democracy also "worships the State" in that it elevates participation in the State as the highest good. However, as James notes, that is not equivalent to erasing natural rights.  Challenges to natural rights is not an inherent aspect of democracy but an acquired one, especially in the modern/contemporary era, so that now citizens have to be vigilant and even aggressive about protecting rights assumed and explicit in the founding documents.

3. Communism explicitly substitutes the State for the family unit in terms of priority and value. This is directly opposed to a Catholic worldview.

4. Communism all but eradicates the importance of the individual.  Nothing could be more contrary to Catholic philosophy and theology.

5. An economic system structured from such a negative and fixed worldview as Marx articulated is fundamentally opposed to the Catholic vision of the "limitless" potential of the individual. Communism thus kills hope in that it denies the dynamic of aspiration as key to personal productivity and fulfillment.

I could continue, but five is enough.

[Antonius]

Well put Miriam_M.

[Michael Wilson]

Very good article.

[TradGranny]

The U.S. was founded as a Republic.

[Heinrich]

The U.S. was founded as a Republic.

We haven't kept it.

[KreKre]

The U.S. was founded as a Republic.

And that's the problem... The US Constitution is a godless document, which puts men and their "pursuit of happiness" above the Divine Majesty and sovereignty of Christ the King. How could anyone be surprised that it didn't turn out very well?

Merry Christmas!

[Michael Wilson]

The difference between a Democracy and a Republic is that the first the rulers submit all important decisions to a vote by the citizens; this is impractical on a scale larger than the government of a city, as historically the only Democracies that have existed are the Greek City states. In a Republic, the citizens  elect their leaders who rule the state. In both a Democracy and a Republic, the rulers hold their power from God, and rule in His name and by His authority. In a Liberal Republic, such as most if not the super-majority of states today, the citizens not only elect their rulers, but they confer on them the authority to rule, and these leaders rule in the name and authority of "The People", and do not receive their authority from God or rule in His name. This is why modern societies are all apostate and in rebellion against Christ His authority and His Church. Just as there is no salvation outside of Our Lord and His Church, for individuals, so it is for men in a society. If the laws of society are not based upon Divine Revelation as taught by the Church, they will be based on false principles, such as those of our modern liberties, which inevitably and fatally lead men into error, sin and perdition.

[TradGranny]

The U.S. was founded as a Republic.

And that's the problem... The US Constitution is a godless document, which puts men and their "pursuit of happiness" above the Divine Majesty and sovereignty of Christ the King. How could anyone be surprised that it didn't turn out very well?

Merry Christmas!

That is sad, because the Declaration of Independence cited the "Laws of nature of of nature's God."

[Heinrich]

The U.S. was founded as a Republic.

And that's the problem... The US Constitution is a godless document, which puts men and their "pursuit of happiness" above the Divine Majesty and sovereignty of Christ the King. How could anyone be surprised that it didn't turn out very well?

Merry Christmas!

That is sad, because the Declaration of Independence cited the "Laws of nature of of nature's God."

That's in line with the founder's deism. NB: only nine the 56 signers of the Declaration were Freemasons.

[Michael Wilson]

The Declaration of Independence was a piece of propaganda that was written to obtain sympathy and support for the Revolution and to justify it. It isn't the foundational charter of our country; that is the U.S. Constitution, which does not mention our Lord Jesus Christ, the Blessed Trinity or even God:

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

It is all based on the "will of the people"; the famous "Popular Will" of the Enlightenment.

[james03]

The U.S. was founded as a Republic.

Yes and no.  There are two axis:  Rule by many/few/one, and direct/representative/dictator.

You are correct, the US was founded as a Republic in part.  The President has certain dictatorial powers.  The Supreme Court makes final rulings.  In both cases there is no binding input from the aristocracy (original) or people (current), though the limited term of the President does lean it more to repulican than dictatorial.  You could have an elected dictator rule for life.

The key feature to me is that the US was founded as an aristocracy.  The best you could say about the US is that it was founded as an aristocratic constitutional republic.  With the checks and balances, Presidential powers, and Supreme Court, it was somewhat of an experiment.  If the US population had been Catholic, and if the Constitution had professed that the country was a Catholic Confessional State, it might have lasted indefinitely, like the Old Swiss Confederation.