Thursday, June 18, 2009

Theocracy: Bad Idea

When I was young, people I knew thought that a theocracy - rule under God's law, was the highest possible form of government. While I didn't buy off on it, I did bide my time, look, listen and consider what I saw and what I heard.

Today I understand that there is no presently understood historical basis for this. Some claim that in "ancient times" it worked. I can't address pre-history nor can I vet any claims to such as valid.

In recorded history that can be vetted/validated and multi-sourced, there is no indication of any theocracy that wasn't despotic, cruel and repressive to the people it ruled, favoring one class (usually a priestly class) over all others. ie. All men are equal but some are more equal than others. It is clearly manifest in present-day Iran.

6 comments:

Track-A-'Crat said...

Theocracy is pushing for the worst-form-of-government-ever award, although democracy is far from perfect.

How did we ever let this guy (and many others like him) get any power?

http://trackacrat.com/2009/03/31/wishing-he-had-legal-immunity/

Opus #6 said...

Theocracy adds some form of imagined legitimacy to the ruler's whims.

LL said...

Whatever the Beloved Leader whim happens to be the revealed and immutable word of God.

A recipe for trouble.

WoFat said...

People seem to have some trouble deciding which God they'd like to follow. Seems to be several of them.

LL said...

Yes, WoFat, people seem to "create God in their own image" all too often. Especially when they yearn for power over others.

Anonymous said...

It didn't work in Europe,which is why moved away from it,and created a Constitutional Amendment to prevent it from happening here.

Only thoses,who seek control and power over a population would form such a government.

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