"A disastrous spiral of misplaced interventionism"
Allister Heath, the editor of City AM, has a very thought-provoking article this week entitled
"We are stuck in a disastrous spiral of misplaced interventionism."
It starts as follows:
"Vicious circles are the new normal in British politics. Bad, often economically illiterate, policies create poor outcomes; voters become angry; the opposition (and in some cases the government) responds with hopeless populist policies intended to alleviate the symptoms of the previous round of bad policies; the situation worsens; disenchantment with the establishment rises ever further.
"The original problem is never acknowledged, the root causes are not addressed, unpopular groups are demonised and we slide ever deeper into a morass of unintended side-effects. It’s depressing beyond words."
You can read the full article here.
"We are stuck in a disastrous spiral of misplaced interventionism."
It starts as follows:
"Vicious circles are the new normal in British politics. Bad, often economically illiterate, policies create poor outcomes; voters become angry; the opposition (and in some cases the government) responds with hopeless populist policies intended to alleviate the symptoms of the previous round of bad policies; the situation worsens; disenchantment with the establishment rises ever further.
"The original problem is never acknowledged, the root causes are not addressed, unpopular groups are demonised and we slide ever deeper into a morass of unintended side-effects. It’s depressing beyond words."
You can read the full article here.
Comments
I have never seen the establishment held in such loathing by the broad masses of the people. And I have never seen our governors treat the governed with such contempt."
Fredrick Forsyth Author of "Day of the Jackal" - quoted in the Express 30 Oct 2009
I certainly think the first sentence is still applicable.
I would not apply the second line to the present government, which had not yet taken office at the time the quote was published.
Of course, Frederick Forsythe was referring to the last Labour government, and having heard him in person on the subject, I can confirm that his criticisms of that government were even more trenchant and effective when you heard him speak about them than when they were written down.
I would, however, agree that all parties need to listen more to the people.
I could sum it up quite simply, when the labour party was in power then the "governors" were the masters not the servants of the people.
Now the coalition is in power, the "governors are the masters not the servants of the people"
and who ever "wins" the next election will be the masters not the servants of the people.
the system allows this to happen, so happen it will. Regardless of which colour government or party "win" an election.
You remember the old 80's film "war games" where the computer learns something about nuclear war? well to refresh your memory the computer learns the only way to win is not to play.
same applies when there is a system which is unfit for purpose, the only way to defeat it is not to join it.
The point was made thousands of years ago that the penalty for opting out of voting is to be ruled by people less intelligent than oneself.