Student Recalls Lessons About Democracy in Her Simulated Country
Written by: Arin Olson
Simulated Country: Toehio
School: Shabazz-city High
Instructor: Mr. Aaron Kaio
Location: Madison, WI
The day I learned the most I could about democracy was on a sunny day in April, the exact date I don’t know, the most I can remember is that we had a good deal of important things to do but got none of it done, because everybody spent the class time arguing about a previous trial. My names is Arin Olson and I’ve been a student at Shabazz for roughly 2 years, and I have never come about a class as hectic as the Civics Mirrors class. The class has been slow moving, loud, full of useless arguments and exciting trials and it did teach me a very important lesson, the lesson that democracy doesn’t work by itself.
One thing that needs to be mentioned is that nothing ever gets done quickly or peacefully. There are arguments about trials and laws and rules and arguments about those arguments and even arguments about past arguments. This drastically slows down the country’s governing process, which makes things much more difficult for people. Every one has to have a say in everything, even when it doesn’t involve them, and the government gives people too much freedom in how the country works, especially unqualified people who shouldn’t have any say in the government.
Another thing is that there are too many people in the government, it’s a jumbled up mess of different branches and sub-branches and sects and parties of the government. All these different parties and divisions and branches waste too much time arguing between each other and looking over various laws and bills that it slows everything down. To get a single bill approved it has to go through at least three different branches of legislations and votings and even then it won’t get approved if the president doesn’t like it.
The only redeeming quality about democracy is that it gives everyone an equal chance at deciding their country’s fate, even ordinary citizens. But at the same time this freedom and equality can be a double-edged sword. Too many people misuse their rights
