If a plurality of a population wants something, and that thing happens, that's... actual democracy.
Liberals (and yes this includes Republicans) have purposely twisted the word democratic to mean something closer to "system where individual rights are upheld even at the expense of the majority." That's not democracy. That's just describing... liberal capitalism? Or something. Basically, what the US has. Although that liberal part is wearing very thin.
In an actual democracy if a majority agrees that land should all be redistributed with an aim towards equal distribution, then it is not undemocratic to do so. In fact it's... it's literally... democratic. I feel like my brain is melting because this is so obvious. It might be anti-individual liberty/freedom. Ok. But that wasn't the premise. It wasn't "how many Americans are open to authoritarian means to achieve certain goals" or whatever.
But that opens another can the pollsters, likely, don't want opened.
They'd have to acknowledge that the US is already employing authoritarian methods to control society.
They'd have to acknowledge that not all authoritarianism is "bad" but rather depends on a person's viewpoint. Like, I'd be perfectly fine with an authority figure personally slapping Elon Musk and taking all his assets.
That's a fantasy though.
The reality is authorities do that already... to the least powerful people in societies. In the US that ends up being non-wealthy, non-white people.
So if they ask the question "would you like to see authoritarian measures used against the wealthy, especially those who exploit the most, and have their assets and wealth confiscated and redistributed?" Well. People might like that question. So don't ask it!
If a plurality of a population wants something, and that thing happens, that's... actual democracy.
Liberals (and yes this includes Republicans) have purposely twisted the word democratic to mean something closer to "system where individual rights are upheld even at the expense of the majority." That's not democracy. That's just describing... liberal capitalism? Or something. Basically, what the US has. Although that liberal part is wearing very thin.
In an actual democracy if a majority agrees that land should all be redistributed with an aim towards equal distribution, then it is not undemocratic to do so. In fact it's... it's literally... democratic. I feel like my brain is melting because this is so obvious. It might be anti-individual liberty/freedom. Ok. But that wasn't the premise. It wasn't "how many Americans are open to authoritarian means to achieve certain goals" or whatever.
But that opens another can the pollsters, likely, don't want opened.
They'd have to acknowledge that the US is already employing authoritarian methods to control society.
They'd have to acknowledge that not all authoritarianism is "bad" but rather depends on a person's viewpoint. Like, I'd be perfectly fine with an authority figure personally slapping Elon Musk and taking all his assets.
That's a fantasy though.
The reality is authorities do that already... to the least powerful people in societies. In the US that ends up being non-wealthy, non-white people.
So if they ask the question "would you like to see authoritarian measures used against the wealthy, especially those who exploit the most, and have their assets and wealth confiscated and redistributed?" Well. People might like that question. So don't ask it!
Considering that many "rights" are only available in a meaningful way to the wealthy, I think we should just call it aristocracy.