On Wed, 30 Apr 1997, B. Oliver Sheppard wrote:

> > An Observation on semantic quiz...
> >
> > Isn't interesting how the word "democracy" has never become an "ism".
> >
> > I think this fact suggests something rather profound about the *universal*
> > importance of the idea of democracy.
> >
> > I guess all the other "isms" arose from specific economic concerns.
> >
> > In a democracy people should be allowed to freely enter and leave
> > any economic system they choose to create.
> >
> > We need to foster democracies which allow *rational* economic
> > experimentation. Rational means respectful of human rights.
> >
> > Harry Veeder.
>
>
>         I believe it was Chomsky himself that said there was no such
> thing as a
> democratic system, but that democratic *principles* could be applied to
> anything, whether it be government, business, your household, the media,
> etc.

Yes, I agree.

> I think this helps in understanding the ultimate goal of
> anarchosyndicalism, in which corporations, the media, and all
> institutions would be democratized.
>
>                                --brian

But anarchosyndicalism is just another way of ordering "economic"
relations among men and women. Anarchosyndicalists might enjoy the power
to order corportions, the media etc., but where does that leave people
who don't share the anarchosyndicalist life-philosophy?

It seems to me that anarchosyndicalists also have to be subject to
democratic principles and not just be the ones who get to *apply*
democratic principles.

After all any person or group in a position of power can call their
system democratic.

Democratically yours ;)
Harry