The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-03-06
DEMOCRACY
By ]. B. BENTLEY

Every time you pick up a paper
magazine or what-not put out by the
kept press or the powers-that-be you
are sure to find sermon on the pres
ervation of democracy in this country
or the world. The word has been
used freely by the demagogues and
writer's on the big interests payroll
without being fully defined. The word
democracy" can be made to do a lot
of contortions If it so suits the pur-
pose of minority group. We will
see what Mr.. Webster has to say:
Government by the people: form
of government in which the supreme
power is retained by the people and
exercised either directly absolute or
pure democracy or indirectly repre-
sentative democracy through a system
of a representation and delegated
authority periodically renewed, as in
a constitutional representative govern
ment, or republic. An absolute de-
mocracy is government in which
the sovereign powers are exercised
theoretically by all of the people, ac-
tually only by the electorate (voters).
Even in the primitive forms such as
the Athenian democracy, where the
governing powers were directly exer-
cised by the assembled people, chill
dren, slaves and usually women were
excluded specifically, and commonly
in modern modern use a democracy is
a representative government where
there is equality of rights without
hereditary or arbitrary differences in
rank or privileges and is distinguished
from aristocracy. In modern repre-
sentative democracies as the United
States and France the governing body,
that is the electorate, is minority
of the total population. but the prin-
cipal on which the government is
based is popular sovereignty"
According to Webster and as is prac-
ticed in this country your democracy
as the word is popularity used, is
brought to you through a medium, or
if you like a delegated representative.
1t is something like buying a pig in
a poke or trading jack knives sight
unseen. You may not like it but you
have it. But don't be fooled by the
word democracy" You can still have
as practiced in this coun-
try and have an empty belly The
two have gone hand in hand down the
road of life in this country for sew
eral generations now. After all pure
democracy means only that the peo-
pie as whole have an opportunity
to vote on any measure that is intro
duced. 1t doesn't mean that you are
guaranteed any rights as a free man
with free speech and assembly, nor
does it mean that you are going to
have more of the wealth of the coun-
try. Unless the people as whole
are going to have enough interest in
their country to study the economic
system so they can vote on measures
for the benefit of them
selves and their class and not for the
benefit of a minority few to enable
them to live SNUG and content in their
selfishness while the majority starve
in rags seeped in superstition.
Pure democracy brings to you just
as much or as little of the worlds
wealth as you demand through your
vote as a whole. Indirect democracy
as it is practiced here and in France
is politics pure and simple under the
capitalistic system. First you are edu-
Gated to system of beliefs through
a controlled school system. AS
majority you believe, when you come
put of school, in the holy preserva-
ton of the capitalist system. In a
vague way you realize that something
IS wrong, but you have been taught
hat reverses in the common mans
life are something that can't be fore
old or stopped. That it is over the
head and out of the hands of man.
When you vote for and elect a per-
ION to represent you under the indi
ect democracy rule you have put your
veil being into his hands without a |
guarantee to you that he will at any |
ime work for your best interests, or !