Is Democracy all it’s cracked up to be.

I don't think it's doing brilliant!
Labour with an Independent and Liberal have 31 seats and the opposition parties 29 so Senedd has a labour leader.
There is a lot of criticism about how the devolved areas like health and education are working. (Labour not doing well in the poll ratings) - next election May 2021.
It must be a bit complicated when you have a Westminster MP form one party and a Welsh Senedd MP from another party both representing you.

 

It’s better than any other system. It’s just that one of the limitations of a representative democracy is you have to accept that if sufficient idiots get together they can elect a fellow idiot. E’g’s USA, UK, Russia, Australia.

if you have a more direct democracy by simply ‘asking the people’ you have to accept that those who disagree with you (and you might think are idiots) form the majority. E.g’s.

- the people of the UK being asked whether they want a more representative voting system where everyone’s vote counts or a corrupt system that had failed the country for 50 years screamed out “ give us the corrupt system.”
- or the citizens of the North East who were asked, do you want a bloke in an office In Newcastle, Durham, Sunderland etc... to decide how often your bins are emptied, or do you want that decision to be made by a fat bloke in Westminster said ‘ we want the fat bloke In Westminster.’
- should I mention Brexit? No better not.

Democracy is undermined when it elects a gonk, but that itself is Democracy so you just have to suck it up. The problem for the future (present) is if you can get a majority of ‘the people who are content to keep voting in Govt’s that look after them but give sod all regard for others in society, then it’s all going to end in tears.

 

Democracy, the masses elect the few to enable them to do exactly what the fck they want.

 

I used to favour the current first past the post constituency based system the UK has as i thought it favoured decisive government and the ability to do the most good.
I'm afraid I've swapped to supporting some sort of PR because it's the better insurance that governments do the least bad.

 

As long as they remain in the Union.

The real problem with democracy is the size of the country. A big country with a large population is always going to have odd areas that are different historically and culturally from the rest and will thus be under-represented. However, if you then start to break down the big country into smaller autonomous areas they become less viable. I'm not sure Scotland would be successful as an independent country and certainly not Wales. I don't think there is any real alternative to democracy, I just wish our system was a bit more democratic and less biased towards maintaining the establishment.

 

Sorry to disagree with you Brush but I am absolutely convinced that Scotland would thrive without England holding us back.
The state these Tory fkers have got this country in while loading their own pockets is disgusting.
Hopefully very soon we will be voting to go it alone. No future for us while tied to England.

 

To have a healthy democracy you must have a well informed, educated populace capable of critical thought. As Chomsky has long pointed out we don't have any of those things.

Education is largely linked to economic value. The media allows a very narrow spectrum of views and critical thought isn't taught or encouraged because which government wants people thinking for themselves? Give them bread and circuses.

One of my favourite TV moments. Andrew Marr questions Chomsky on journalism. Only 3 minutes but the kicker is in the last 10 seconds.

 

Thanks for posting, first time I’ve seen that. Short but succinct

 

Yes. And we forget that most were unable to read or write only 150 years ago. When schooling did get underway The Times in one article from 1860 was very much against it because 'if you educate the working class, they will come to understand the plight they are in.'

 

Once I first saw Chomsky talking about this then spotting the limited range of conversation became obvious. Another name for it is the Overton window and explains why ideas from 'the left' (or what I'd call the moral centre) are so hard to discuss due to fixed views of what economics and society are believed to be.

 

Well, if anyone today is worried or concerned about educating the ‘working class‘ of today (I suppose we could term it the ordinary person in the street) or generally making a fairer society for everyone, then be at rest, the current Govt, and Rees-Mogg in particular, are redressing this at pace.

 

I suppose, the ideal way in the modern world where there is a good fusion of Capitalism and Socialism is light- years away if at all becomes possible. You know, where Entrepreneurs and investors, reap their rewards for success pay their taxes accordingly, pay a minimum decent living wage to those at the lowest end of the pay scale, Govt intervention and a safety net on poverty and destitution, would rarely be required, but be readily available. The transport and other key infrastructure would be invested in and updated to the benefit of all citizens in all regions. We can dream I suppose.

 

Edit: almost remiss of me,and work speedily towards a Greener way of life

 

Democracy is a bad system.
But it’s best of a bad bunch.
People just want good government.
But when a good government turns bad then democracy allows that government to be removed.
Communism is oppressive because it enables the elites within the system to maintain their privileges.

 

PR - google 'd'hondt system of PR' - hope you can make sense of it - I couldn't!

 

Looked it up.
Got headache now. At monotonicity I started to weaken.

 

Democracy has many systems , democracy is geared around the people it serves who adjust it to include their cultures etc .

 

google <Senedd Cymru - Welsh Parlaiment - wiki >

scroll down to <members,constitution and electoral system>

- what did the Taffs do to deserve this!

 

If communism has an elite then it's not communism