Quote:
Originally Posted by OtterBooks
Well, if it's composed of representatives voted into office via democratic election, then what you just said is pretty much exactly the duty of government (er, I think). Personally I prefer benevolent dictatorship, but it's so hard to come by these days.
|
True enough, but needlessly meta
A representative government, ideally, allows the choice of electing reps who want make one sort of economy, or the other (or, in a better world, an array of alternatives....)
So we (that is, for the purposes of this thread, the US and France) seem to agree on the format of government, but not on the sort of economic policies that we should want the people we elect into that government to enact.
In fact, rereading my comment and yours, I guess I don't think it's true. Government is NOT supposed to tell us what we should want, even if we elect the reps. WE are supposed to tell the THEM what we want, by electing the reps who agree with us. (in a 30000ft view at least...I can think of lots of exceptions and qualifications.)