George Lucas to TIME: "All democracies turn into dictatorships..."

TIME Magazine via TheForce.net ^ | April 21, 2002

[aristeides]

Well, it's true that the United States is in form a constitutional republic, but unfortunately its democratic features have been growing more and more marked over time, and that probably means that we are closer and closer to an unfree state -- in fact, in numerous ways we already are unfree.

But I would quarrel with Lucas's statement that all democracies turn into dictatorships. There has never been a historical example of a democracy that lasted more than a couple of centuries, but the classical example of pure democracy, ancient Athens, did not really turn into a tyranny. Athens did have a number of tyrannical episodes in its history, especially in the early decades of Macedonian dominance at the end of the 4th century B.C. But, with the exception of those episodes, Athens in form was still a democracy and in fact was a plutocracy until Sulla, at the beginning of the 1st century B.C. After Sulla, Athens lost its democratic forms and was now a plutocratic oligarchy in both reality and form. So Athens is one democracy that did not turn into either a dictatorship or a tyranny.

And dictatorships and tyrannies can arise from other forms of polity than democracies. Like the United States, the Roman Republic was not a democracy. It was a ploutocratic constitutional republic with certain democratic features. So, although there's a lot of truth in calling the Roman state under the emperors a dictatorship and a tyranny, that system did not arise from a democracy.

[dread78645]

Has anyone noticed that Yoda looks like Ross Perot ?

I think it's the other way around.
Besides, Yoda is alive and well. Perot is merely a unpleasant fading memory.

[aruanan]

Is that the depth of your commentary?

It's the depth George Lucas's historical acumen merits.

[snopercod]

Well, it's true that the United States is in form a constitutional republic, but unfortunately its democratic features have been growing more and more marked over time, and that probably means that we are closer and closer to an unfree state -- in fact, in numerous ways we already are unfree.

Yes. That's why I'm a member of FreeRepublic. This is still a philosphical battle, while we are still free to speak out.

[over3Owithabrain]

George Lucas himself said he is a 60's type liberal. It's right there in the Time article.

[LibertarianLiz]

Red-font added for emphasis. Mr. Lucas, astute student of history that he is, has a far better grasp of reality than do most politicians inside the beltway.

Sorry, but I'm betting he is still a Democrat and that is how he votes.