The Future of Politics

[Viking]

Well, all of the recent debates and media coverage over here in the US regarding the general election has gotten me thinking: Who in the world is really satisfied in any form with the current state of politics?

Will anyone ever?

[CountArach]

Will anyone ever?

I imagine Dictators aren't too unhappy

[Viking]

I imagine Dictators aren't too unhappy

Well, if Team America: World Police is a credible source...

In all seriousness though, it could be interesting to have dictators fill out the a "how happy are you with your life; do you feel that you are able to reach all the goals that you set etc etc" form.

[JR-]

speaking for britain, i would like to see:
1. devolution of power from central state control
2. devolved power instituted in elected people; sussex sheriff, hatfield health tsar etc
3. removal of quangoes from the levers of power

[macsen rufus]

Good question, and not one that a single post can answer (except maybe the post of world dictator ), but the general principles that I find most essential:

1) subsidiarity - decisions should be taken as close to their locality as possible, and at the lowest (ie most decentralised) branch of government
2) separation of powers - power should be rooted in institutions bound by law and checked by other institutions
3) term limits - no "politicians for life"

The biggest threat I see to the integrity of Western democracies is a creeping plutocracy* - most evident in the USA but certainly on the rise in Europe too. Money speaks louder than the ballot box, and there is far too much movement through the "revolving doors" between corporate, political and regulatory governance.


* government of the rich, by the rich and for the rich

In those days people took their politics seriously. They started saving up rotten tomatoes weeks before the election."