Stewart: “Dying days of democracy”?

notices and features
7 years ago
Categories: democracy under attack, democratic participation
Tags: beautiful rants, brighter future, democracy, dirty politics, rachel stewart

Rachel Stewart asks:

Are we in the dying days of democracy?

Are we in the dying days of democracy and, if so, can humanity survive it?

There is so much crazy, weird bizarro flitting all around us like a flapping demon, it’d be hard to seriously make the case against it.

In a world gone mad – or, at least, out and proudly neo-liberal – democratic values appear to have entered the ever-tightening circles of the death spiral. The ground is fast rising up to meet them.

From scientists marching through the world’s streets to remind politicians why they’re still relevant, to women marching to remind male legislators of the very same, it’s beyond crystal clear. Houston, we have a problem.

…

Knowing that right now, out in the big wide world, are a bunch of leaders who either weren’t elected by the people, or were dubiously so. Putin, May, Erdogan, Mugabe, Assad, to name a few.

Then there’s Trump. Astonishingly elected, but by fewer than three million votes than his rival. Only in America. Land of the seriously deficient electoral system. It’s going to take some time turning that ship of state around.

Here at home we find we’re stuck with the lack-lustre Mr English as Prime Minister, and not of our choosing. He was the pre-ordained prefect left to us by Key when he exited stage right. Yeah, the Nats held an internal mock election but, that’s all it was. The appearance of democracy when you’re not really having it.

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Enduring years and years of corporatocracy winning over democracy does that to voters. It dulls the desire to identify with any political tribe. Watching the steady drip of public wealth – think water, for a start – transferred into private hands has turned many a stomach, and a few worms. Like me.

Then add in the homeless; families living in cars before they get put up in a motel paid for by us, in a kind of merry-go-round of false economy and galloping governmental geldings who wouldn’t know a testicle if they tripped over one.

Because democracy should mean elected people looking after people. Instead it has morphed into elected people looking after unelected corporate interests, and themselves. They have fallen for the neo-liberal neonicotinoid. If you think bees are in trouble maybe have a good look around at the current state of humanity. …

Read on for plenty more. “Dying days of democracy”? Probably not, but after 9 years of Brighter Future / Dirty Politics it certainly can feel that way.

Looks like Stewart is not alone, see Has democracy reached a breaking point? on CNN.