democrati.net
Awareness
Thoreau on street protests and ballot boxes
Henry David Thoreau was an American libertarian philosopher who was a proponent of limited government and Individualism. Not only does Thoreau deny that the state has any moral authority, but also accuses it of thwarting both the liberty and moral development of individuals. In the 19th century, the democratically elected government of the United States … Continue reading
Egyptian election problems and how exit polls can help
As Egypt votes for the first time after the ousting of President Mubarak, many are worried about election fraud. There are good reasons for concern. Egypt has a long history of systematic vote rigging. Many of those who administered fraudulent elections in the past remain in their jobs. The military council has barred most foreign … Continue reading
Why a referendum devalues the rule of law
Yesterday, Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, head of Egypt’s ruling junta, made a speech in response to fierce street protests all over the country. “The army is ready to go back to barracks immediately if the people wish that through a popular referendum, if need be,” the army chief said, in what seemed to be … Continue reading
Tahrir, How to deal with tear gas
Egypt is 1 of 5 nations that haven’t signed the Chemical Weapons Convention & are unhindered by restrictions on use of CS gas. If you have any information / references about these substances please use the comment section and I will add it to the page. Thank you. NATO codes of Riot Control Agents (RCAs) … Continue reading
Natural Rights, Human Rights, Legal Rights, Civil Rights – Differences
As Egypt transitions towards self-rule, Egyptians need to know their rights. Rights come in many forms, so I thought I would write this article to outline the differences. If you think it’s useful, or would like to translate this article into Arabic just send me a note. Natural Rights (حقوق طبیعیة) Natural Rights, also known … Continue reading
Egypt – Neoliberalism versus Liberalism – are they the same?
Mubarak’s brand of Liberal economic policies has given Liberalism a bad name. However, Liberals, me included, insist that there is a difference between Mubarak’s economic model, and the liberal economics espoused by the predominant majority of developed countries in the World. I felt that the term Liberalism is not well understood and that a significant … Continue reading
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