Combining Philosophers

Ideas for David Fair, Peter Watson and Mark Fisher

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2 ideas

24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 5. Democracy / d. Representative democracy
Modern democracy is actually elective oligarchy [Watson]
     Full Idea: What we regard as democracy in the twenty-first century is actually elective oligarchy.
     From: Peter Watson (Ideas [2005], Ch.06)
     A reaction: Even dictatorships want to be called 'democracies'. The modern system is a bit of a concession to Plato, and he would probably have preferred it to his system, because at least the rulers tend to be more educated than the direct assembly.
24. Political Theory / D. Ideologies / 11. Capitalism
It is hard to imagine the end of capitalism [Fisher]
     Full Idea: It is easier to imagine the end of the world than it is to imagine the end of capitalism.
     From: Mark Fisher (Capitalist Realism [2009], 1)
     A reaction: His book addresses the question of whether complacently accepting capitalism is the right attitude. I read it because I am complacently resigned to living with capitalism. If we started again, would capitalism be a rational choice?