Wednesday 27 July 2011

And the people get to decide - what exactly?


"Freedom is the emancipation from the arbitrary rule of other men."
Mortimer Adler (1902-2001)

So we are informed, the beauty of our democracy is that every 4/5 years, on average, we have the opportunity of changing our government if we disagree with that which they have done during their term of office. On each occasion we are presented with a choice between the incumbents, who inform us that, forgetting their mistakes, they have the cure to all our ills; whilst likewise the alternative, potential, governments inform us exactly the same thing - and on each occasion we fall for this political confidence trick.

Think back however far you wish; how many times has the government of the day introduced and enacted a law which was not in their manifesto - and if it was, has been 'tweaked' to include elements that were not included in said manifesto promise? (the smoking ban springs to mind which encapsulated the proposal that venues would be able to provide areas for both, or decide whether to opt for smoking or non- smoking?). What, in effect, the people of our nation vote for is a period of dictatorship, one practised by those who continually inform us that they are our elected 'representatives' - in which case should they not be proposing, or enacting, only those laws that those they represent actually want, or for which they ask/demand?

Presently, governments decide how much money they want and promptly take it from the pockets of their taxpayers - likewise local government. Governments decide when - and with whom - they intend to engage in acts of war, again purely on their decision and with no consultation with those they are meant to serve. Governments decide how - and to what degree - they intend to limit our freedoms, in the name of national security, or other spurious reasons. Governments decide how our children are to be educated; what type of healthcare we may have; what our foreign relations should be and with which nations; what type of law and order under which we have to live; and what is 'acceptable' behaviour, to name just a few powers that they consider they possess.

In the words of the song: "Is that all there is? If that is all there is, then lets keep dancing [to the politician's tune],lets break out the booze and have a ball" - which, if we are to believe that which we read, some of us - recognising the futility of our political system - have already done. To break this cycle of dependency on our political elite; and to paraphrase the words of another song (not a good video as out of sync); "there must be a way to be happy, happy with somebody new, but I can't find the way......" - and the reason we can't find the way is due to the dictatorship and 'mind-conditioning' which is currently practised by our political elite.

Conditioned as we are to the dance of the politician's tune, unable to find another way, we have become dependent on someone to rise from amongst us, one who will lead us to a 'better land'. Muffled Vociferation has a video from Pat Condell, one in which he argues that violence is not the answer to the ills the people suffer. As I have commented on her site, "....were those in the 'Resistance' during World War II guilty of violence in their attempts to overthrow the Nazis? What chance was there then for due democratic process? When the political process is 'managed' by those in power to 'freeze out' the voice of smaller parties; when all democratic means fail, is violence to effect that change, wrong?".

That there is a better way must, by now, be beyond doubt. The problem that those of us who recognise the dilemmas facing our nation lies with which is the better way to change the minds of our 'sheep' who wait to be herded?

4 comments:

TomTom said...

the beauty of our democracy is that every 4/5 years, on average, we have the opportunity of changing our government if we disagree with that which they have done

German Election 1933 next election 1949 One Reichskanzler

UK Election 1935 next election 1945
Three Prime Ministers - only Baldwin elected 1935

Chamberlain PM 1937 would have walked 1938 election but it was never held. Parliament simply extended its life. Only reason 1945 Election had a choice was that Labour left the coalition in May 1945


Democracy ? Well....maybe

Anonymous said...

I agree entirely that democracy is a failed sham, no more or less.

However, we cannot advocate violence if we hope to achieve peace, freedom and prosperity. I understand the frustration, but even if it were possible to sufficiently destabilise the state with violence (and the paddies had a good go), that only spawned the Northern Ireland assembly i.e. more of the same.

I am not sure what the answer is but I like Christopher Hitchens remarks about guys like Vaclav Havel when they were under a commie dicatorship. They were not free but they lived 'as if' they were. When enough of us do that, the state collapses because even with all their guns, they still need compliance.

You might like this

http://mises.org/books/boetie.pdf

Dave_G said...

We should have the right to re-assess our vote after the 'magical' 100 days.... usually it takes far less time than this for the elected to renege on most of their promises.

WitteringsfromWitney said...

TT: I'm surprised the polies allow us even an election - after all they could decide amongst themselves when the other lot deserved a go......

Saot: Accept that violence is not the answer - but when all else fails?

DG: With 'Referism' there would be no need because everything they wanted to do would require our permission!