I suspect that most democratically-minded people have never stopped to think that democracy may not be what it’s cracked up to be. Perhaps, it too is a historical stepping stone to something better?

After all, at least in the United States, we’re brought up, educated and then repetitively reinforced through a myriad of media types and sources that representative democracy is the epitome of all available systems of governance. So good in fact, that we’re somehow morally justified in forcing it on others.

However, if it hadn’t occurred to some before, then after watching the last several months of the U.S. presidential electoral process, I also suspect that more folks may now be wondering just what the hell has happened to this country and perhaps with the democratic model as a whole.

So, looking under the hood:  is representative democracy the best we can do?

And if not, what would we trade it for?  Right?  Because if we’re going to complain, then we better have a solution …and in the case of social re-organization, a damn good one for sure!

For many of the politically and non-politically minded, that may sound like a non-issue (probably mostly for the reasons above).  For others, struggling for something deeper – whatever that may mean individually – and willing to think outside of the current political box (for you Constitutionalists, see the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence – you have the right and arguably the obligation to test fundamentals) that question can really inspire some passionate discussion; the type that could well overtake and ruin a good Thanksgiving dinner!

Nonetheless, at some point, like daily! …we need to continually recognize and remember that social organization has been in constant evolution since time immemorial and with the decentralization in informational resources, communications; and soon, energy and money, then this evolution will most certainly quicken to a pace unknown in human history.

And, as disruptive is that process has tended to be, in the long run it has proven better for the greater mass of humanity than not, but there is still obviously much room for improvement.

This social and political evolution …and a suggested solution (a likely inevitable one)… is very nicely illustrated and supported in the succinct and very readable:

From Aristocracy to Monarchy to Democracy — A Tale of Moral and Economic Folly and Decay by Hans-Hermann Hoppe, an Austrian School economist and libertarian/anarcho-capitalist theorist/philosopher, Professor Emeritus of Economics at UNLV, Distinguished Senior Fellow with the Mises Institute, founder and president of The Property and Freedom Society.

It’s a fantastic little book! If you are not familiar with Mr. Hoppe and you are open-minded and desirous of moving toward a social organization which far better supports the free and peaceful movement of people, ideas, services and goods of all types, with greater responsibility and security that can be provided by any centralized form of governance, then he and a host of others at Mises Institute offer the most realistic way forward.  Give it a read.  See if it resonates.

Note: The views expressed are solely the opinion of the author.
Conceptual source:  Hans-Hermann Hoppe.
Media source:  Mises.org