What works better for the benefit of the masses: a benevolent dictatorship or a democracy?
A benevolent democracy, although even those are rare. Some dictatorships may start out benign but, to quote Lord Acton, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
David Isaacs, Sydney, Australia
• Neither, as both only ever play at being representatives of the masses, while in truth it’s only those whose pockets are deep that are in a state of constant benefit.
R De Braganza, Kilifi, Kenya
• Benevolence in a dictator will show gaps inevitably, especially when push comes to shove.
RM Fransson, Wheat Ridge, Colorado, US
• Regrettably, the benevolent dictatorship: in a perfect democracy, nothing will work.
Frank Trajer, Black Rock, Victoria, Australia
• Democracy used to – until the top 1% and foreigners were enabled to pervert the system.
Philip Stigger, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
• Democracy is, of course, the sentimental favourite, but it’s very inefficient with all those votes and things, and really, it only works when the masses have the sense to agree with me. I humbly suggest a benevolent dictatorship where I’m in charge.
Margaret Wyeth, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
• Benevolent dictatorship for developing countries, democracy for developed nations, direct democracy for advanced nations.
David Tucker, Halle, Germany
• Dictators decide and get things done, which is quicker but often bad for the masses. Democrats discuss and decide things, which is much slower, but often better for the masses.
Pat Phillips, Adelaide, South Australia
They’ll go to their just reward
What happened to those lost socks?
Gone for ever, but their remaining partners have got together in mismatched but perfectly functional pairs.
Charlie Bamforth, Davis, California, US
• They aren’t lost. You just haven’t found them.
Jennifer Rathbone, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
• They go to the great laundry basket in the sky.
Joan Dawson, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• That all depends on whether or not they lived good, virtuous lives.
John Geffroy, Las Vegas, New Mexico, US
• They migrate to the drawers of strange men who wear odd socks.
Marilyn Hamilton, Perth, Western Australia
• They all ended up in my granddaughter’s drawer. She wears a great selection of mismatched socks.
Avril Taylor, Dundas, Ontario, Canada
• They established a toehold in the Lost World.
Alan Williams-Key, Madrid, Spain
• Only your washing machine repair man knows for sure.
Richard Orlando, Westmount, Quebec, Canada
It could also be in the ear
Beauty is said to be in the eye of the beholder. What do you see as beauty?
Beauty is not judged by your clothes or your appearance. It is judged by your inner beauty. So, always wear designer underwear.
Anthony Tarleton, Sydney, Australia
• It is also said not to be deep. So, one needs look no further than the skin.
Anthony Walter, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
• A blind friend disagrees with the premise and tells me it’s all in the ear.
Heddi Lersey, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Any answers?
What is the least honest thing to have ever come out of you?
R De Braganza, Kilifi, Kenya
Where does time fly to? Why?
Neville Holmes, Creswick, Victoria, Australia
Send answers and more questions to weekly.nandq@theguardian.com
