Are you f´ing kidding me????

[Sporting_Lisbon]

Funny greeks didn't let strangers, slaves and WOMEN vote, and also thought it was cooler to have all their cities fighting each other on a civil war rather than having peace. Their democracy was pretty smart for their time, tho.

[Soccerman771]

Was referring to the modern democracy. Didn't think I really knew about the greeks did ya?....duh

I would challenge that we have the most representative democratic system in the world (even though we are a republic).

[KingKaramazov]

[quote=""Soccerman771""]Was referring to the modern democracy. Didn't think I really knew about the greeks did ya?....duh

I would challenge that we have the most representative democratic system in the world (even though we are a republic).[/quote]

Nevertheless, it's absurd to say Americans invented 'modern' democracy. The makeup of our government is influenced heavily by European political thinkers and philosophers of the 17th and 18th centuries (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau etc). Our governmental system wasn't even all that democratic at its original inception, anyway - it just seemed so relative to European countries at the time which were still monarchies (though Britain had a Parliament at that point already).

[lordandcount]

We dutch had semi-democraty from about 1565 till 1800, after napoleon we asked stadhouder Willem to become a king.

[wicked_assassin]

The modern democracy in europe was infleunced by the french revolution, not by the us.

And thinking that you have the most representative democratic systems is arrogance. You guys have only 2 monster political parties.

[huGGy]

[quote=""Soccerman771""]

I would challenge that we have the most representative democratic system in the world (even though we are a republic).[/quote]

I challenge that for germany. Though we have to thank the americans to help establish democracy here.

[wicked_assassin]

Do you mean afther ww2 or something hug?

[huGGy]

[quote=""wicked_assassin""]Do you mean afther ww2 or something hug?[/quote]

Yes, the americans really helped germany to become the state it is now.

I mean i cannot definitely say what the best democracy is, since i don't know enough about other countries, but the german democracy isn't worth than the american. Maybe the swiss is even better. Maybe...

[wicked_assassin]

Perhaps luxembourg is the best with his small population

[generalbuschmann]

huggy we already had a good democracy before in germany. (weimarer republik). anyways i think the american first-past-the-post style is broken, proportional representation is much better imo.

[huGGy]

[quote=""generalbuschmann""]huggy we already had a good democracy before in germany. (weimarer republik). anyways i think the american first-past-the-post style is broken, proportional representation is much better imo.[/quote]

A democracy can only work when it has the legitimation in the society. Because of major financial crisis the legitimation was missing back then.

[Soccerman771]

Wow. I sure stirred up some controversy. My statements were not made to be arrogant. Far from it if you really knew me. Yes, we have two huge parties, but when the people of the US want something changed, we really can change it through legislation and our representation in congress.

Though we are losing that through judges who like to legislate from the bench.

I don't claim to be the know-it-all regarding government or politics, so get that out of your minds. I'm simply trying (like I always do) to have a civil debate regarding the subject at hand.

To go back to the original post and tie this thing off - through our system the honorie that was awarded the "prize" as I'll call it from now on, has done NOTHING internationally using ANYTHING to receive this award. He has all this legislational procedures and supposed influence in the international community and has done nothing to make peace better in the world, much less the US.....and even as right leaning as I am, I feel sorry for people like Bill Clinton who actually did quit a bit to promote the peace process - especially in the middle east.

By the way, did you guys see that the US qualified for the most important sporting event in the world in 2010?

[Sporting_Lisbon]

[quote=""Soccerman771""]By the way, did you guys see that the US qualified for the most important sporting event in the world in 2010?[/quote]

They did? Cool!

[KingKaramazov]

Yep, US got into the World Cup. Maybe we'll beat at least one good opponent.

[luukje]

Barack obama got the peace prize on the promise of bringing an end to some of the worlds most dangerous conflicts. As the leader of the worlds most important nation, he tries to bring people together, and not as george w, seperate them in good guys and bad guys.

This is a huge thing in modern world politics, but only history will tell if BO succeeds - and I hope he does - or if he was the last man standing with a message of hope before the world succumbs to megacorporation dominance, global warming, north-south conflicts on precious resources, religious zealotism, and plain human short-sighted greed, ignorance and intolerance.