Tags
Brexit v EU - Negotiations., Democracy, English General Election., English parliamentary system, English voting system.
(Five-minute read)
Here we go again.
The right person to lead the country is being selected without any democratic scrutiny by the people of England.
It is no wonder that Brexit is tearing the country apart when so many are denied a voice.
Millions of voters go without a say in crucial national decisions – excluded not only from government but from holding the government to account.
In 3 of the last 4 general elections IN ENGLAND at least 50% of votes went to losing candidates.
First past the post.
A seat won by a 40,000 vote majority has the same outcome as a seat won by a single vote: both elect just a single MP.
Parliament in allowing an internal election of a new Conservative leader to become the Priminister is not only failing to reflect the people it is supposed to represent it is a form of Populous Dictatorship.
A minority ruling over the majority goes against our most basic ideas about democracy.
The latest developments to vindicate a New Primister for the country (who will, in fact, represent the choice of hundred thousand or so Conservervate members out of which 60% are over 50 years of age) isn’t just bad for democracy; it’s bad for politics and society.
First Past the Post is completely undemocratic severing the link between votes and seats.
Bipolar politics is designed to promote argument, not thought.
So it’s not surprising that we are now witnessing the election of a New Priminister with an out of date spluttering system that is unable to represent its citizens or to negotiate England’s withdrawal from the European Union without a mandate that represents the country as a whole.
Its no wonder England has politicians who most of you didn’t vote for and don’t agree with have the power to govern the UK however they like.
Its no wonder we see the construction/ imposition of one ideology for a period, followed by another, quite different ideology.
Its no wonder we see both main parties cling to their roots with extraordinary tenacity, even when confronted with the obvious fact: the conditions in society giving rise to these ideologies have long gone.
But First Past the Post keeps them in business and allows them to continue to indulge their emotion-based policies – with taxation paying for this indulgence.
Unchallenged by a more competitive electoral system, the ‘left’ and the ‘right’ parties remain trapped in their histories and beliefs, seeking differentiation through adopting the opposite of the other.
First Past The Post has many hidden direct and indirect costs. These are unrecorded, unstated and considerable, in taxes, wasted economic capacity, and wealth appropriation. The costs of all of these zigzags are borne by taxation.
First past the post is a non- linear system a dazzlingly stupid way to organize a modern democracy. It provides the bare minimum of democracy, is unrepresentative for the majority, and distorts the allocation of power.
Finally, First Past The Post is the best electoral medium for preferential lobbying.
This scourge of democracy is near universal.
Its elimination can only be achieved through a complete redesign of systems of government.
It may be simple to write an “X” next to a chosen candidate, but it’s incredibly difficult to know what that vote will mean. Millions of voters are forced to try to vote tactically by anticipating the decisions of other voters.
PR makes sure the share of seats each party gets matches the share of votes they receive. If a party gets 20% of the vote, it wins 20% of the seats. Parliament would accurately represent the people’s range of views and perspectives.
The opposition to PR Says:
We need the strong government that only first past the post can give’ and, by inference, not the namby-pamby government from coalitions and other inadequacies.
Sounds good, does it not?
Flutters the spine?
Makes one stand up straight.
I would say that the voting population of England is intelligent, much more has to change in all of these systems, including the EU.
Systems of government with PR suffer from many of the same failures and poor performance as the UK’s First Past The Post but,
does not allow the lending of votes to one candidate in order to knock out another to become Primisister
The unseen consequences are about to be seen.
All human comments appreciated. All like clicks and abuse chucked in the bin.
