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Politics : Al Gore vs George Bush: the moderate's perspective -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (2040)	10/10/2000 8:19:20 PM
From: cosmicforce	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10042

Ron, that's what dictionaries are for: I suggest you buy one. Or use dictionary.com Edit: but seriously, do you think it matters all that much whether a dictator or the Supreme Soviet takes your weapons?? au·thor·i·tar·i·an (-thôr-târ-n, -thr-, ô-thôr-, ô-thr-) adj. 1.Characterized by or favoring absolute obedience to authority, as against individual freedom: an authoritarian regime. 2.Of, relating to, or expecting unquestioning obedience. See Synonyms at dictatorial. to·tal·i·tar·i·an (t-tl-târ-n) adj. Of, relating to, being, or imposing a form of government in which the political authority exercises absolute and centralized control over all aspects of life, the individual is subordinated to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is suppressed: “A totalitarian regime crushes all autonomous institutions in its drive to seize the human soul” (Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr.). n. A practitioner or supporter of such a government.

To: Hawkmoon who wrote (2040)	10/10/2000 8:43:50 PM
From: Dayuhan	Respond to of 10042

Can you tell us all the difference between an authoritarian and a totalitarian government? In Kirkpatrick-era newspeak, "authoritarian" referred to dictators we liked, "totalitarian" to dictators we didn't. Both took a generally dim view toward civilian ownership of firearms. Ferdinand Marcos, one of our favorite authoritarians, rounded up every gun he could get his hands on as soon as he declared martial law. He eventually fell to an unarmed uprising, as have many dictators from both authoritarian and totalitarian camps. Arms are by no means a necessary precondition to effective resistance against tyranny.