tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post8398708857296890333..comments2024-03-08T15:43:20.236+00:00Comments on Keynesian Liberal: This is not a migrant crisisPeter Wrigleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-13281268856065022162016-06-06T12:18:38.857+01:002016-06-06T12:18:38.857+01:00It means we choose wise representatives to make pu...It means we choose wise representatives to make public decisions on our behalf, once they have thoroughly examined and debated the pros and cons of each proposal. One of our problems at the moment is that our MPs are not representative enough. To put it crudely, most of them are foisted on us be the parties rather than selected by the electorate. Hence there is a limited range of viewsPeter Wrigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-89522122056545512792016-06-06T11:05:57.977+01:002016-06-06T11:05:57.977+01:00I'm sure there would be a majority for capital...<i>I'm sure there would be a majority for capital punishment</i><br /><br /><i>Our system would be much improved if our electoral system were more properly representative</i><br /><br />So… would a properly representative system have a majority of representatives who were in favour of capital punishment, then, if a majority of the electorate are in favour of it?<br /><br />If not, what does 'properly representative' mean?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-68718030253005193012016-06-06T07:05:35.641+01:002016-06-06T07:05:35.641+01:00Here we come to the difference between a represent...Here we come to the difference between a representative democracy and a plebiscitary democracy. In the latter I'm sure there would be a majority for capital punishment, locking people up and throwing away the key and various other unsavoury practices. <br /><br />In a representative democracy we select what we hope are "high minded and value-driven" citizens to make decisions on our behalf. Free votes on matters of conscience are the nearest we come to this in the UK. Our system would be much improved if our electoral system were more properly representative. At the moment we have given almost absolute authority to a party which is supported by barely a quarter of the electorate, and most debates in parliament have become a matter of crude point-scoring rather than serious attempts to reach an acceptable consensus.Peter Wrigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-52158532029542834622016-06-04T19:03:24.665+01:002016-06-04T19:03:24.665+01:00In the best of all worlds our politics would be hi...<i> In the best of all worlds our politics would be high-minded and value-driven</i><br /><br />But what if your values are different from (perhaps even in opposition to) those of the majority of the electorate?<br /><br />Of course you can try to persuade them to change their values, but if you explain your values and why you hold them as best you can and they still disagree, then in a democracy, whose values should win: yours, or the electorate's?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-85018974580251754702016-06-04T13:57:05.428+01:002016-06-04T13:57:05.428+01:00How true. It is very difficult to discern anythin...How true. It is very difficult to discern anything high minded or value driven on either side in the current EU debate (except perhaps for Michael Hesseltine on Radio 4's "Any Questions" last night.Peter Wrigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-63720287444731679182016-06-04T12:02:23.402+01:002016-06-04T12:02:23.402+01:00Well said Mr Wrigley. I am reminded of a saying of...Well said Mr Wrigley. I am reminded of a saying of the late Tony Benn (with whose views I did not always concur - but do on this one) that he came into politics "to be a signpost and not a weather vane". <br /><br />There has always been a danger that politics is "transactional", meaning that a candidate will "cut a deal" with part of the electorate whereby they vote for him (or her) in return for a policy favouring that section. In the best of all worlds our politics would be high-minded and value-driven but at the moment we seem a long way from that. John Colenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-48837054026284825742016-06-04T10:45:00.720+01:002016-06-04T10:45:00.720+01:00As I'm sure you'll appreciate, it's a ...As I'm sure you'll appreciate, it's a bit of both. <br /><br />Most political activists have views ranging from visions of what an ideal society would look like to modest proposals on how to improve the present set-up. It is up to them to try to persuade the electorate of their chosen option - in other words to lead. The electorate, of course, has the final say on which option is chosen. <br /><br />To be successful - that is to take part in the government and put at least some of the ideas into practice - political activists, that is the parties, cannot afford to be too far in advance of public opinion, but do have a mission to educate that opinion.<br /><br />Unfortunately today the parties seem to have downgraded that leadership and educational role in favour of the Focus Group approach - tell us what you want and we will offer it. In other words, the balance has tilted too far, away from ideals and education, towards pandering to public opinion as it is.<br /><br />The situation is confounded by our inadequate electoral system, which means that to gain a share of government parties must pander to the views of the least committed in a handful of marginal constituencies.<br /><br />The essential solution to the problem is proportional representation by single transferable vote in multi-member constituencies.Peter Wrigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-53344533070115599862016-06-01T15:13:11.860+01:002016-06-01T15:13:11.860+01:00it is the direction in which our politicians shou...<i>it is the direction in which our politicians should be leading us</i><br /><br />Are politicians in a democracy supposed do what the people want them to do, or are they supposed to lead the people to do what they (the politicians) think the people ought to do?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-58013732689068733442016-05-31T23:31:11.931+01:002016-05-31T23:31:11.931+01:00I have tried to send you an email about SoF, but i...I have tried to send you an email about SoF, but it seems your personal email is not accepting messages.Bradford Qhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16987030247973821971noreply@blogger.com