In terms of a defense of democracy and its virtues, I can think of no greater summation than the Four Freedoms speech made by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt in January of 1941:
You still need more to describe the difference. Here's why:
Let's say that you have three options - X, Y, Z - "in front of you," in the sense that no one's stopping you from pursuing any of them. Practically speaking, however, Y and Z are effectively out of reach - say they require the use of resources you don't have and can't hope to accumulate in time for them to be of any use. They aren't really options, to you. And then suppose that someone comes along and says, "If you give up your 'Option Z,' I'll provide you with the resources you need to practically pursue 'Option Y
( ... )
Let's say that you have three options - X, Y, Z - "in front of you," in the sense that no one's stopping you from pursuing any of them. Practically speaking, however, Y and Z are effectively out of reach - say they require the use of resources you don't have and can't hope to accumulate in time for them to be of any use. They aren't really options, to you. And then suppose that someone comes along and says, "If you give up your 'Option Z,' I'll provide you with the resources you need to practically pursue 'Option Y ( ... )
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