Is a society still democratic...

[jordanisonfire]

...if it does not allow political factions into its own system that threaten that democracy? And if it doesn't, is that a good thing, or a bad thing?

(Sorry, couldn't fit the entire question in the title box.)

[Bowie20049]

Gah! Contradicting questions...

No, because that's called a one-party system, which does not give the common people the full decisions of the country. It's a bad thing

[ScottyMcGee]

I hate society.

I just like to live by my own freedom. While seeking universal rules and truths.

[Crocolyle]

According to the Federalist Paper No. 10, factions--a.k.a. political parties--are actually a danger to liberty, but, as a natural product of democracy, to disallow them impinges on political freedom. So basically, the goal is to create a terribly inefficient form of government that gets nothing done. All that filibuster and 2/3 majority stuff. The only government that really works is the inefficient kind, since it prevents oppression by the majority.

Here's the actual text: http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa10.htm

I'm not sure if I stayed on topic... It looks like I just sort of rambled...

.

[Bowie20049]

The contradictions are hurting my head

[miss_smiley]

*blinks in confusion* It's politics. I'm not even going to try to understand...

[Shaun]

My understanding is that it's a yes or no thing on a case-by-case basis. Obviously a group that actively engages in terrorism, which isn't just hurting the State, but people too, would not be tolerated, but a group proposing, say, turning the country (whichever it may be) into a Fascist Neo-Nazi KKK place with slavery, then such things would have to be tolerated to allow a country to truly be considered free. Fringe groups have a tendency to be utter failures, with some minor exceptions.

But this all depends on the context. What exactly does it mean to threaten the State? That's an open question to anyone, because I don't think we can answer this question simplistically. Physically threatening and psychologically threatening are entirely different concerns, I think.