Number one is a very complicated dichotomy that I am still working though in my head. I don't currently think that democracy scales well. Sure, for homogenous communities with strong cultural roots having a system where every adult in a community has an equal say in the direction that the rules of that community go in, is a lot better than most of the other systems that mankind has lived under, but it is increasingly obvious that if there are co-ordinated counter forces that leverage issues within that community to set its members at each other throats, then it is a very dangerous beast indeed. Power should always be at the lowest practicable level but those that worship power and need control over other people will always seek to gather more of it into their clutches. No system is ever going to be perfect but society should always try to let the individual have as much agency and control over their lives as is compatible with their neighbours. (With the proviso that people sometimes need to find new neighbours!) Unfortunately, it looks like our collective societies are being pushing into the exact opposite range of options with some sort of Techno-feudal control grid currently coming into being - which will limit both freedom and democracy to a level that I think everyone will be uncomfortable with. My gut instinct is to get off this planet at the first opportunity and go and settle an asteroid or something! lol!