[seanbam]

Before I put forth my points I'd like to say that it is not very good that profiles take up maj of space/page while text is minority, it should be other way around.
It is pity you can't merge this Democ page with other 2 (Democracy We Presume, and Is Democracy Dead.)
Also, sorry if my text here is not very well written. There were a few points yous mentioned that I had not considered re Holy Roman Empire/Papacy/Athens/Venice, though I should have since Hitler says much same in his table-talk.

Democracy Does Not Work:

"Democracy" is one of the great ideological/emotional catch cries of the Western World, but there have arisen many arguments against democracy being the "only-best system despite its faults other than benevolent dictatorship" in the last few years which include:

-(As with Communism) in reality we do not presently have ideal/direct democracy;
-Even if it was possible to have ideal democracy it would still not be the best system (as also with Communism);
-The public's opinion is moulded by the media (not media "reflects" pub opin);
-Referenda are non-binding;
-Even when you play by the system's rules and progress they find a way to slander you, as happened with One Nation Party (Hitler got (indirectly) voted in), and as they admit is the reason they instituted MMP/hate speech legislation for;
-Ancient Greek democracy was somewhat different to modern democracy;
-It is still a minority ("our representatives/delegates/deputies") that really has the control over the majority (not direct democracy);
-Parliamentarianism: elected mayors can not lead (cp B Haka vs Hubbard);
-Electorial corruption possibly even in West eg King Country by-election came out exactly like polls, Chch mayor got back in with such a huge no of votes, etc seem very suspicious (also marks on glossy voting papers could be altered); or possibly false claims of riging in tin-pot "dictatorships;"
-Partocracy in parliament;
-The haves can buy/bribe power (media, campagn funding) (plutocracy);
-Not everyone votes unless compulsory as in Australia;
-Special interest pressure groups like business round table and PGA/PWO;
-People can make a mistake due to way papers are written (as I once did);
-Broken promises;
-Narrow majority dictates to narrow minority;
-Liberal Democracy is not much better than Social Democracy: instead of only having one party to vote for we only have two (two-party state) (only slightly/superficially differing, operating within the same boundaries), one part factor being that Labour & National are financially supported by the Unions & Business, unlike alternative parties;
-This system has turned out to be quite different to what NZ soldiers thought they were fighting for;
-The best people (quality) are always in a minority, the rest in majority (quantity): "the vote of the informed few is disenfranchised by the vote of the uninformed masses" (cp Laodicea);
-People selfishly vote for what they think they can get out of Natl/Lab;
-Scientists warnings are not listened to because people don't like to hear negative truth;
-Demagoguery esp in parliament, on media, etc;
-Records could be being kept of who we voted for (cp stickered over bar code on top corner of paper), so one's complaints could be not acted on if you did not vote for them;
-People have been indoctrinated into believing the Nazism versus democracy lie: Hitler regularly/annually asked the people if they approved of his decisions/rule and his continuing on, (in the first edition/printing of Mein Kampf he said he wanted a German-democracy, Hitler was indirectly voted in). [Yeats?] became dissolussioned with Nazi-Soziism [in addition to Capitalism & Communism] because he disagreed with all mass movts;
-"Public opinion can be more Hitlerian than Hitler;"
-The masses' feelings can be very fickle;
-Problems with majority jury vs unanimous jury;
-minority govts;
-"People vote images/persons/parties not persons/parties/issues/policies" (cp everyone fell for John Banks);
-Binding referenda would not be much better than at present because people currently can't even vote good parties/candidates;
-People can be jealous of another person's gifts: "a prophet is without honour in his own country."

Concise summary of Democracy: dictatorship of media/demagogues, minority/politicians/parties/demagogues, rich/big business, (those who voted), trades unions and/or majority/demos instead of the best/aristos.

Counter-/Refs: A Hitler, VG Childe, NZ Politics Sourcebook, J Smith Jnr, W Golding, C Cook/Pears. [Acknowls: M Roeder, KR Bolton, J Christ, Austral League of Rts, AC Foljambe, V Zhirinovsky, SS saying, B Daly, talk-back radio, Forum/Rhema, J Harwood, Dominion-Post, Direct Democracy, Revelation(s), W Peters, E Zundell, P Ncube, M Walker.]

(Addendum:
A synthesis of Aristocracy and Democracy would be power of the highest combination eg: if A is "superior" to B and B is sup to C, then A and B is higher comb/maj than A and C which is higher than B and C.
The best system would serve/raise both the (good not a bad*) minority and the majority relatively/respectively.)