The Democracy

Tomorrow is an important day in our nation's history and your very own livelihood. VOTING DAY! It involves our government on all levels. We are blessed to have this privilege. Look at the governments of this world. Generally speaking, there are three types today—monarchies, dictatorships and democracies.

Monarchies involve nobility—royalty—where bloodline is the key to succession of power. Through the death of a king or queen, a prince or princess ascends the throne. This cycle can last for generations or many centuries. History records that monarchies are almost always replaced, either violently or peacefully, with the king or queen often allowed to retain minimal power. As of 2019, there were 44 sovereign states in the world with a monarch as Head of state. 13 in Asia, 12 in Europe, 10 in North America, 6 in Oceania and 3 in Africa.

Dictatorships and totalitarian governments are usually created through violence—by coup or revolution. They are often short-lived, with something similar replacing them. As of today, there are 50 dictatorships in the world (19 in Sub-Saharan Africa, 12 in the Middle East and North Africa, 8 in Asia-Pacific, 7 in Eurasia, 3 in Americas and 1 in Europe).

Democracies and republics are best described as collaborative, representative or parliamentarian, meaning that the officials and leaders are elected, representing “the will of the people.” This involves a voting or balloting process in the selection of one candidate in preference to one or several others. This form is generally considered to be the best of mankind’s governments. Yet, the great 20th-century British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, called democracy “the worst form of government—except [for] all the other[s]...”

But, as bad as democracy can be, still it is true that it is far better than any other form of government—when that government lies in the hands of men. Democracy does at least attempt to ensure more individual “freedoms” than other kinds of humanly devised government, by keeping power within the hands of the people, who select 'trustworthy' individuals to proxy for them. Prayers are we will do just that, and continue to pray God's will comes to fruition!

Until tomorrow...

Bro Botts

"Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles." - Acts 1:26