# Assume plutocracy/oligarchy = what we have now & bad, democracy good - how to get there from here? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 22, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assume-plutocracy-oligarchy-what-we-have-now-bad-democracy-good-how-to-get-there-from-here/689040 "2014-05-22T22:27:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2014, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assume-plutocracy-oligarchy-what-we-have-now-bad-democracy-good-how-to-get-there-from-here/689040/21 "2014-05-23T16:51:14Z")
> [@Stringbean](#): > > It absolutely might be. Similarly, a better system than capitalism does exist. The only system I can think of that might possibly be better than capitalism is democratic socialism (as distinct from one-party Stalinism, and as distinct from social democracy). And, AFAIK, democratic socialism is the one system proposed in modern times that has never yet been tried.\* (Unless you count the [Spanish Revolution,](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_revolution) which was really more anarcho-syndicalist.) \*Well, Libertarianism also [has never yet been tried](http://www.salon.com/2013/06/04/the_question_libertarians_just_cant_answer/) unless you count failed states like Somalia. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2014, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assume-plutocracy-oligarchy-what-we-have-now-bad-democracy-good-how-to-get-there-from-here/689040/22 "2014-05-23T17:29:48Z")
[Andrew O’Hehir addresses a related topic in a recent article](http://www.salon.com/2014/05/17/is_democracy_doomed_and_was_it_ever_real/), with a pessimistic outlook: > [@](#): > > In other words, we have to consider the possibility that the current state of American politics, with its bizarre combination of poisoned, polarized and artificially overheated debate along with total paralysis on every substantive issue and widespread apathy and discontent, is what we get after 200-odd years. It’s not a detour in the history of Jeffersonian democracy but something closer to a natural outcome. We also must consider that our version of a democratic system is not, in fact, designed to reflect the will of the people (a dubious concept to begin with) but to manipulate and channel it in acceptable directions. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2014, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assume-plutocracy-oligarchy-what-we-have-now-bad-democracy-good-how-to-get-there-from-here/689040/23 "2014-05-23T17:59:39Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Step one would be to find a way to get the supreme court to reverse itself and allow strict campaign finance laws. Once big money is out of the picture, populist policies will follow directly. Yeah, I was going to say this too. Big money has been getting increasing influence on politics in the last decade, especially with the SCOTUS case. I would even be in favor of some kind of total restriction on private donations. I can see a fairer government where all candidates for office are forced to use only a publicly funded pool of dollars for their campaign. It wouldn’t matter if you’re rich or poor, you could only spend the exact same amount of money as your opponent. I can see that easily working out if we eliminated the stupid assumption that money equals speech. I would also remove all non-humans from donating to campaigns as well, meaning no donations from an organization, none from a business, club, or group. All money must be given, if it is to be given at all, from one person to another person. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 23, 2014, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assume-plutocracy-oligarchy-what-we-have-now-bad-democracy-good-how-to-get-there-from-here/689040/24 "2014-05-23T19:43:56Z")
> [@septimus](#): > > [Andrew O’Hehir addresses a related topic in a recent article](http://www.salon.com/2014/05/17/is_democracy_doomed_and_was_it_ever_real/), with a pessimistic outlook: On that note, see [this](http://www.thenation.com/article/179851/what-was-democracy) recent article in _The Nation:_ “What Was Democracy?” Very long but well worth a read. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/assume-plutocracy-oligarchy-what-we-have-now-bad-democracy-good-how-to-get-there-from-here/689040.md?page=1)