[EM] Conceiving a Democratic Electoral Process

[⸘Ŭalabio‽]

	2012-07-09T11:31:08Z, “Kristofer Munsterhjelm” <Km_Elmet at Lavabit.Com>:

> 	On 07/09/2012 09:45 AM, ⸘Ŭalabio‽ wrote:

>> 	2012-07-08T17:04:50Z, “Fred Gohlke”<Fredgohlke at Verizon.Net>:

>>> 	Whether or not 'rule by the best' can work depends in large part on how well the electoral method integrates the reality that the common good is dynamic.

>> 	Aristocracy means ruling families in English.

>> 	If you mean rule by the best, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, you mean meritocracy.

> 	When I used the word "aristocracy" in my own post, I referred to Aristotle, who used it in the sense of "rule by the best". There, aristocracy is a compound word of aristoi and kratia, the first of which is derived from aristos ("the best"), and the second which is derived from kratos ("rule", also possibly "might").

> 	Furthermore, dictionary.com's definition of the English word "aristocracy" includes:

> 	3.	government by those considered to be the best or most able people in the state.
> 	4.	a governing body composed of those considered to be the best or most able people in the state.

> 	So I don't think Fred was wrong.

	You are right about the origin of the word aristocracy, but families with money consider themselves aristocracy.  Certainly, the ancestor who was smart, hard-working, lucky, ambitious, et cetera who earned the right to be called aristocratic, while also earning the family-fortune, but much of the current “aristocracy” are idle rich, owing their fortunes to accidents of birth.

	Since most of the aristocratic families are no longer aristocratic, we coined the term meritocracy.  In order to be a meritocrat, one must have earned it through merit.