h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

hey, peregrin.

about my bougeoisie article...

this sentence: "While the rich people could have a say in how the city would be governed, and there was still a large tribute to be paid to the lords, their grip on the cities was loosening."

is weird. it could be reworded? the sentence is an elaboration on the claim that there was something we can call primitive democracy in place at the time. Democracy because the rich have a say in things: baby because the lords were still important, though their grip was weakening.

So, perhaps something like "On the one hand, there were citizens with a say in how their city was governed, yet on the other, there was still a large tribute to be pid to the lords. The grip of the latter was, however, weakening."

That also makes it clear exactly whose grip it is that is weakening, whereas the old version is ambiguous.

Thanks in advance for having a look at this, and though you did edit the article quite a lot, and I don't agree with everything, it is now a more compact piece of reading.

Certainly! I can't edit it directly now but I'll request that one of the h2g2 Towers editors change it.

I hope I didn't change the article too much for your liking! As I remember, the largest change I made was to make your 'warning' a little more subtle. This is because (although I have to say, I agree with it) it is, technically, a political viewpoint; and it's best to keep personal views out of factual entries. What do you think of that?

Anyway, it's a very interesting article, it's certainly educated me!

Why that is a big compliment, coming from someone who's been democratically elected Prez-o-h2g2.

In future, I hope to do more on developmental democracy and suchlike.
Anywayz, you're right as far as the warning is concerned. It isn't a fact, more of an observation. There are evil minds out there that would consider the process I warn against something that is entirely not in need of warning against at all. No, of course not! Declining democracy? Nothing to be afraid of...