My problem is that I really see no difference.
What control do we really have over any legislation that
is passed?
Our parliaments and senates are not dissimilar to the courts
of Kings and Queens and Emperors of the past. They do what they
feel is necessary, and few who seek power are much concerned
with the good of their fellow man. Those who are tend to get
nailed to trees or shot.
Any autocrasy is not actually run by a single person, it is ruled
by a group that support a single person in all of their
decisions. These decisions are not made based upon the 'will
of the people'.
If the president or prime minister says we shall spend 4billion
more on 'defence' this year, it's not a proposition put to the
electorate ... it's a statement of what has been decided. If a
leader wishes to pass a new law, all he needs is enough supporters
(this was still the case in monarchies of old if you didn't want
to end up in a bloody civil war).
One should not confuse 'free societies' with 'democratic' ones.