Take me to your leader.

How old fashioned! We live in a democracy down here.

Democracy? What's that mean?

Well, it means freedom. It means that everyone can vote to decide things.

So you guys all vote on what you make in this factory and so on?

Oh, No. I mean it's the people who own the factory who decide that, we just work here.

So you voted to decide who owns the factory then?

No, of course not. They bought it with their own money. That's not decided by voting.

Well what is?

We vote on whether to accept what they offer us for pay and so on.

And if you vote "No"?

We go on strike or something and see who gives in first.

That's not very democratic, is it?

No, well democracy's really just about the electing a government and so on.

How do you do that?

Well everyone living in this area votes for which one will represent them in Parliament.

Do you have a big discussion about it, who to vote for?

Well that's impossible really. There are 80,000 electors and we don't even know each other.

So how do you find out about the issues?

We hear about it on Telly.

I see, so you vote about what goes on Telly?

Oh No, the people who own the TV channels decide for us.

And do you go on strike if you don't like what they tell you?

Eh?

OK, that's obviously a silly question. So you elect the person you like on TV to decide things for everyone. So maybe they'll tell the owners of this factory what you are going to make?

Oh not likely, big business wouldn't allow that to happen.

What do you mean? Does big business have lot's of votes?

No, I mean if a government tried to take away property rights big business would pull the plug on everything.

Couldn't your government make good decisions about what to make?

The market has to decide what is made in the economy.

The market?

Yeah, if it doesn't make a profit then it's no good making it. Democracy's got nothing to do with that.

Is that why farmers are burying their oranges, because they don't make a profit?

Yes, I guess so.

And they voted for that?

Well, no, but they voted for the politicians that let it happen.

I see. So where does democracy come in then?

Well, democracy's all about equality before the law?

Eh?

I mean it doesn't matter whether you're a millionaire or unemployed, if you steal a hundred bucks from someone you'll get the same treatment from the police and the courts.

Why would you steal a hundred bucks if you were a millionaire?

Well actually, a millionaire recently stole $1,000,000,000, and he's in jail for at least 4 years.

I think a lot of unemployed people would jump at the chance of earning $1,000,000,000 in 4 years.

Ummm. Well I think they'd probably get more than that unless they had a good lawyer.

That doesn't sound very democratic either.

Well that's the system people have voted for.

Have people ever voted for a different system?

Yes, but I don't think they realised what was going to happen.

What do you mean?

I mean all those countries where they voted for a different system either get starved to death or bombed back to the Stone Age by the U.S.A.

USA? Tell me about that ....