35...Democracy

It is the objective of government to improve the quality of life of its citizens, by creating alternatives to manufacturing, which are better done in developing countries. The alternatives being the sciences, the arts, sport, etc. Whether such a science based leisure orientated society comes about in the twenty-first century will largely be due to the vision, competence and caring nature of government. The degree of true democracy in government will determine the speed and extent of social change. The less democratic a government is, then the more inward looking and resistant to change it becomes. Great Britain may be the mother of democracy, but since the nineteenth century its political system has evolved little. Compared to many West European countries its system of government was in no fit state to create a utopian society.

Unlike most EEC countries, Great Britain had no proportional representation. There was no written constitution and no bill of rights. The Human Rights Act was eventually imposed upon HMG by the European Commission and European Parliament in 1998. The government remained a closed system, unlike that in the USA. Unlike the House of Commons, there were no direct elections to the House of Lords. Whilst the pomp and circumstance may have looked attractive, there was in my view no place for it in an efficient organisation. I am not referring to that related to the monarch. The televising of the House of Lords and ultimately the House of Commons by the end of 1988, and eventually select committee meetings, was a positive step towards open government, as is the reform of the Official Secrets Act. But parliament was not the executive arm of government. Real democracy can only be assured if parliament knows directly what government is doing, and not have to rely on public statements by ministers. It should therefore have observers in each government department.

To some extent government should be like a company structured for project management. It should strive for better efficiency, create wealth for the electorate, but unlike a company, it should also realise that social needs are paramount. Government has to evolve with new ideas if it is to remain efficient and effective. I could not help thinking that there was a strong case for putting the operation of government departments out to tender.

There is no doubt that a democracy is only as strong as the political parties that support it. I have watched, over the years, as party politics has destroyed this nation. As they squabble over who is prepared to lower income tax rates the most, the nation suffers from low investment by HMG. Where the government fails to invest, private enterprise does the same. The higher rate of income tax in 2006 stands at 40%. A ridiculously low level, as the government dithers over what clean energy policy to implement, in order to replace our ageing Advanced Gas cooled nuclear fission Reactors (AGRs). I no longer believe in political parties. It is time for parliament's House of Commons to be replaced by an all embracing complaints department composed entirely of independent technocrats, elected by members of their respective guild. Laws should be made by the people for the people. Namely professionals compiling laws at internet forums. The House of Lords should be composed of representatives elected by the executives of major tax payers, charities, religions and government departments. It would be its duty to control the purse strings of government. In an age of mobile global telecommunications, there would be no need for local government. What's needed are more street cleaners, not duplicate bureaucracy in every county.

There is no doubt in my mind that greater emphasis should be placed on the teaching of democracy, the political system, government economics and modern history in schools (together with health, law, welfare state, pensions, communications). In 1979 the electorate, despite warnings from the media, voted into power a party whose electoral manifesto proclaimed the monetarist higher interest rate system, which eventually decimated industry and jobs. I cannot believe that they understood what they were voting for. In addition to politics, life subjects should also include the welfare state, legal system, employment, health & love and religious & racial tolerance.

In October 2020 I witnessed on TV another stage in the slow collapse of the British socialist Labour Party, with the suspension of former party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who felt that the antisematism complained about was nowhere near as serious as claimed. I find it hard to believe that antisematism exists in political parties. These are supposed to be places of free thinking, deep thought, by people determined to create a better life for all. Instead we appear to have a group of Jews who are more determined to destroy the party they should be loyal to. Are they doing this in the hope of being awarded huge amounts of compensation? Or is the whole affair being orchestrated by British intelligence, designed to neutralize socialism? The takeover by the right appears to have run too smoothly. It is now a party where free speech on racial matters is no longer allowed. It is hard for me to see how a technocracy could emerge from a political system where the free expression of ideas can get you thrown out of a political party. I am not racist. I live on a housing estate that is at least 40% ethnic minority. I couldn't give a damn about a persons race, creed or colour, but I've come across minorities that do. All I can say is that if you don't feel British, then go and live where you feel you belong. Like everyone else, you have to take the rough with the smooth. Like laws on home rule, gender equality and homosexuality, the law on racial equality solves one problem but generates another, because our politicians don't appear to see the implications of what they are creating. It's time for a technocracy. A world technocracy that brings the people's of the world together.

Unfortunately that's easier said than done. The political mindset is locked into a capitalist global economy. They can't see any further than that. Their mistakes will cost the tax payers hundreds of billions of pounds. What the UK needs is twenty million homes fit for the twenty-first century, with twenty million twenty-first century model families to go with it. HMG isn't interested in your education and training, only your sexual orientation, when you apply for a job. They have created a social disaster. Global protest to replace multi-party democracy will only take place after WWIII, after people have lost everything, including the clean air they once breathed.