Comments on: Orange to Blue? http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/governments-and-parties/orange-to-blue/ European Opinion Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:01:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Vitaliy http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/governments-and-parties/orange-to-blue/#comment-22401 Vitaliy Sat, 11 Oct 2008 03:35:27 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3693#comment-22401 What's an "all-out democracy?" If by "grass-root law-adherence" you mean civil society groups functioning within the rule of law, then it does not seem to be a problem in Ukraine. Further, democracy does not necessitate one set of conditions to function. It requires some basic characteristics (e.g. freedom of expression, freedom of association, the "rule of law" NOT the "rule by law," etc), but these can vary in their degree across a set of countries, which can all still be described as democracies. Finally, if you disagree with promoting democracy "for countries like Ukraine," what do you propose as an alternative? If "grass-root law-adherence" is necessary for democracy, is not inherent in the concept of democracy this same idea of grass-root law-adherence (assuming I understand it the way you meant it originally, but please still clarify this phrase), and if so, then encouraging a country to develop a political system along liberal democratic principles is rather than ignorant quite enlightened. What’s an “all-out democracy?”

If by “grass-root law-adherence” you mean civil society groups functioning within the rule of law, then it does not seem to be a problem in Ukraine.

Further, democracy does not necessitate one set of conditions to function. It requires some basic characteristics (e.g. freedom of expression, freedom of association, the “rule of law” NOT the “rule by law,” etc), but these can vary in their degree across a set of countries, which can all still be described as democracies.

Finally, if you disagree with promoting democracy “for countries like Ukraine,” what do you propose as an alternative? If “grass-root law-adherence” is necessary for democracy, is not inherent in the concept of democracy this same idea of grass-root law-adherence (assuming I understand it the way you meant it originally, but please still clarify this phrase), and if so, then encouraging a country to develop a political system along liberal democratic principles is rather than ignorant quite enlightened.

]]> By: Yuri http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/governments-and-parties/orange-to-blue/#comment-22400 Yuri Sat, 11 Oct 2008 01:20:17 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3693#comment-22400 Why isn't anyone questioning the very presumption that an all-out democracy is a good thing for countries like Ukraine? For democracy to function, there must be a solid foundation of grass-root law-adherence in place. Those trying to promote democracy in places with no such foundation are either ignorant or have an evil purpose in mind. Why isn’t anyone questioning the very presumption that an all-out democracy is a good thing for countries like Ukraine? For democracy to function, there must be a solid foundation of grass-root law-adherence in place. Those trying to promote democracy in places with no such foundation are either ignorant or have an evil purpose in mind.

]]> By: Vitaliy http://fistfulofeuros.net/afoe/governments-and-parties/orange-to-blue/#comment-22394 Vitaliy Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:00:32 +0000 http://fistfulofeuros.net/?p=3693#comment-22394 Complete and utter waste of time. Domestic priorities are completely neglected. The worst part is that this is a structural flaw which will require appropriate remedy, and at this point I'm not sure how that will be achieved, certainly not before Yushchenko leaves office in 2010. According to UNIAN, if the elections were to take place on October 3rd, 2008, the voters would have chosen the following parties: Viktor Yanukovych (Party of Regions) - 22.3% Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) - 18.1% Viktor Yushchenko (Our Ukraine) - 9.4% The 3% barrier will also likely pass the Communist Party (about 6%) and a potential new political bloc around Arseniy_Yatsenyuk (about 5%). http://unian.net/ukr/news/news-276415.html Complete and utter waste of time. Domestic priorities are completely neglected. The worst part is that this is a structural flaw which will require appropriate remedy, and at this point I’m not sure how that will be achieved, certainly not before Yushchenko leaves office in 2010.

According to UNIAN, if the elections were to take place on October 3rd, 2008, the voters would have chosen the following parties:

Viktor Yanukovych (Party of Regions) - 22.3%
Yulia Tymoshenko (BYuT) - 18.1%
Viktor Yushchenko (Our Ukraine) - 9.4%

The 3% barrier will also likely pass the Communist Party (about 6%) and a potential new political bloc around Arseniy_Yatsenyuk (about 5%).

http://unian.net/ukr/news/news-276415.html

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