Democracy is not a panacea.

As the saying goes, "democracy is not perfect, but its the best government around". How true. The reason it's true, is the fact that it's a government "of People", "by People", and "for People": and, if it's not perfect, the blame has to be placed "on the People". Its their government. Of course, the imperfections arise, not from the institution of government itself, but from the human beings that assume the Offices of power and, in a democracy, the ones who elect them. In Autocratic forms of government, the imperfections arise from those in power, period. In democratic forms, or some 'hybrid' of the form, the imperfections arise from the People who elect the representatives. The reason I say, 'hybrid' of the form, is because many 'purported democracies' are, at best, 'attenuated' democracies. Its unfortunate that so-called 'Political Science' has assumed some 'gamesmanship' aspects. In the Olympics, the games take the form of 'sports' or physical competition by individuals from different Nations. Well, that's interesting and friendly enough, and the opening ceremony that celebrates the beginning with, "let the games begin" is appropriate. If one thinks about that and transfers ones thoughts to the political arena, and ponders, the so-called 'competition', between Nations, in the present; the 'grasping for more land' in the International sphere, one could also begin the process with "let the political games begin". The problem is that its not on the level of 'games' anymore, because it could lead to war. Initially, in America, 'expansion' depended on the "land rush", "go west young man", then on the "gold Rush", then on the "Oil rush"; and now on the International sphere, 'politics' is still on the "land rush", and "the oil rush", but with the added consequences, that we could cause a War between Nations. That's not a 'game'! Its not or should not be, a disaster between Nations; unfortunately, its a disaster of the human condition. How sad.