A central theme in my life is a constant comparison between #USA and #Austria. One notable difference is how #FreeSpeech is considered. Both countries value it highly. #US has the very strict #FirstAmendment while Austria allows some kinds of #government #regulation of #speech. More and more, US's strict #rights look like a product of their time: #Democracy for an #elite minority resisting a #king. Austria's 20th century approach puts more power in an educated populace to decide some regulation
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Given the current political tides, it remains an open question which system will provide better outcomes. But it should be interesting to watch at least 😉
@eighthave Fascsim is rising here too, the next election will come and then maybe we get here our Volkskanzler and the democratic system is stress tested.
In the end I think we should not kid ourselves, if the people elect fascism, then there is nothing in the system which can prevent fascism to play out. The existing laws will squeak and clank and some evil can be prevented by the existing laws and courts, but in the end its going to fail. Political systems are not run by machines, they are run in the minds of people.
If people want to stay by for the cruelties, they'll happen. It plays out in small groups, in clubs, in organizations, in companies, etc. if people don't do anything and don't cooperate, then people long for strong leaders with all those fantasies of power who people want to live through.
Open societies are hard. Cooperation is hard. Conflicts and their resolution is hard.