Throughout history, it seems to me that all governments have been founded on the premise that group rights overpower individual rights. Pure democracy, monarchies, theocracies, socialism, communism, and any other statist governments are based on the concept that the greater good of the group is unlimited in its power over the individual.
At their core, these governments believe that the state (or its representative) has the power to plan and decide what is best for the individual. Their decisions are based on the welfare of the state (or the welfare of the King, or of the dictator).
If only they (and all they appoint) were intelligent enough to make correct decisions for everyone.
If only they (and all they appoint) would never let their personal self interest (or their cronies self interest) overtake that of the interest of the public.
If only all those they appoint were brave enough to speak truth to power, when power isn't interested in hearing the truth.
As a Christian, I must admit that this would be a great system, if only we were all like Jesus. Unfortunately, most politicians I've seen seem a little more like Judas or Pontius Pilate...and we all know how well they worked out.
There are no perfect people to populate this version of a perfect world, just as there is no way to guarantee that the majority in a pure democracy will always vote to do the correct or just thing. If right-handers were out of work, and left-handers had jobs, would not the right-handers vote the left-handers out?
In the practical sense, what such systems have succeeded in doing is giving some few individuals the power to completely control the lives of all the others...and, if there is no commitment from the government to protect the individual rights of the others, there is no freedom.
The moral purpose of government should be to protect the individual from unwarranted invasion by the government itself, by other groups, or by other individuals. The government that is least invasive and provides the most individual freedom practically possible, governs best.
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