9 replies to this topic

[Nonexistent]

Watched a German movie recently called The Wave (Die Welle). A high school teacher asked his class the topic question and in the week continued to demonstrate that such an event is possible.
Of course, the scale of the experiment the movie portrayed is rather small, so would you believe that a dictatorship could be established with in a whole democratic society or nation? If so, why would the people allow such an establishment if the consequences had been so clearly portrayed throughout history?

[Romy]

Chances are that people will allow it to happen without even noticing.

I believe that most Totalitarian governments were handed power by their constituents.
I mean, look at Germany and Hitler. Even Hitler acknowledged the fact that he had to win the 1933 election to establish an effective and lasting government. It was AFTER he was elected that he passed the Enabling Act that gave him almost absolute control of the country

It depends on how much power people are willing to give to their leaders and a matter of when, not if, their leaders will abuse those powers to further their own agenda.

SOPA and PIPA are great examples of the government trying to get people to hand over their rights voluntarily.

[Nonexistent]

I meant in modern as in the twenty-first century, after the effects of Hitler. Would people willingly just sit back and watch as something resembling the Enablling Act to be passed nowadays though? People didn't sit and do nothing when PIPA and SOPA were put into effect.

[ShadowLink64]

I meant in modern as in the twenty-first century, after the effects of Hitler. Would people willingly just sit back and watch as something resembling the Enablling Act to be passed nowadays though? People didn't sit and do nothing when PIPA and SOPA were put into effect.

SOPA/PIPA was fought because it was clearly bullshit to the public since it helped corporate America and not the people. Any kind of action that would threaten democracy, like the Enabling Act, would be under the guise of being beneficial for everyone, with some work done prior to build up public support for whatever it is. Back then, it was the threat of communism that they used as the scapegoat and one of the triggering events was the Reichstag Fire. The most likely scapegoat of today? Terrorism.

(Just my opinion.)

[Kyle]

SOPA/PIPA was fought because it was clearly bullshit to the public since it helped corporate America and not the people. Any kind of action that would threaten democracy, like the Enabling Act, would be under the guise of being beneficial for everyone, with some work done prior to build up public support for whatever it is. Back then, it was the threat of communism that they used as the scapegoat and one of the triggering events was the Reichstag Fire. The most likely scapegoat of today? Terrorism.

(Just my opinion.)

Well said. The fear mongering in America will be the peoples downfall

[Romy]

I meant in modern as in the twenty-first century, after the effects of Hitler. Would people willingly just sit back and watch as something resembling the Enablling Act to be passed nowadays though? People didn't sit and do nothing when PIPA and SOPA were put into effect.

Because the government chose the incorrect object to vilify. Why would people care about trademarked images or songs?

Look at 9/11 and the Patriot Act. It happened. The government just needs to play its cards right and stop people from thinking at a fair headed level.

[Melchoire]

Try looking it up, some dude proved it was possible but extremely difficult and unlikely...

[Waser Lave]

It would need a major event for government to be able to implement totalitarian measures with public support. Something like a massive terror attack could possibly gain public support for major crackdowns on freedoms which could then be expanded but it would need to be a really major event, I don't think it could happen without public support (unless they had an army the size of China's or something to force a crackdown against the will of the people).

[Volition]

Watched a German movie recently called The Wave (Die Welle). A high school teacher asked his class the topic question and in the week continued to demonstrate that such an event is possible.
Of course, the scale of the experiment the movie portrayed is rather small, so would you believe that a dictatorship could be established with in a whole democratic society or nation? If so, why would the people allow such an establishment if the consequences had been so clearly portrayed throughout history?

Based on a true story. Put enough idiots in one place and you can get anyone in power.

http://en.wikipedia..../The_Third_Wave

annnnnd hitler played his cards well

Edited by Volition, 14 April 2012 - 09:15 AM.

[Randi]

"Chances are that people will allow it to happen without even noticing." <-- I definitely agree with that.
One thing I learned about society in general, where I live anyway.. People will bitch and moan and groan about anything and everything and then turn around and not do a thing about it. I think that is quite possible with a dictatorship as well. So many people may not want it to happen, or disagree with it when it does happen.. But there would be very few, when considering the amount of people it would affect, that would actually attempt to do anything about it.