The New York Times had an interesting article in its Australia Letter section:
I was in Parliament House, and the debate made me think of the look our pup gave me when I caught her chewing my favorite books from college. She seemed ashamed, but would she really change?
Democracy these days doesn’t have much more self-control than that little mutt. Australia is part of a larger trend. In country after country, leaders elected to act on our behalf are encouraging or being threatened by venal instincts and dark urges.
Of course, the dysfunction on display in Canberra (here’s our story on that) is not new. In fact, many sociologists and political scientists will tell you, the unraveling here and elsewhere has been generations in the making.
For decades, the ranks of people who run for office in Australia, the United States and in many other “mature” democracies have narrowed. Parties have become less representative of the people. Technology has moved faster and with more menace than our public institutions, and at the same time media has become more agenda-driven, more divisive — and more threatened by disruption.
The elected leaders who are supposed to be dealing with all of this, in simple terms, are not. That’s why the adjournment is worth dwelling on. A handful of politicians stopped working on issues affecting the country for a contest to decide the country’s direction through a backroom deal unrelated to voter demands or an actual election.
The polis got rolled. Is it any wonder that growing numbers of voters in Australia (and it’s not just here) are falling out of love with democracy?
Sigh. Human nature in action. Fasten our seat belts and keep our fingers crossed.
we’re seemingly in the middle years of a quagmire of change. it is frightening. has it ever been on such a large scale world~wide before? it’s like the foundations of basic values and life are being cut loose. almost like the days of WW II. and not remembering that or the build up to it makes it seem like we’re experiencing it all anew. at least it seems that way to me!
We were lucky to have been born we we did — things were relatively stable and prosperous for us. Now with overpopulation, mass migrations, climate change, competition for water and other resources it’s not going to be pretty.
No, democracy is not perfect, and the way it seems to be unraveling is scary, but the alternatives to it are frightening. Flawed though it is, it’s the only form of government with at least some participation by the people.
Good luck on convincing the millennials. At the moment they’re not convinced.
Another article.
Democracy is a myth. What has been working in the democratic countries, mine included is plutocracy with a facade of democracy. Scratch the surface and you will see the plutocrats pulling the strings. In this arena, different ‘interests’ will fight against each other for supremacy and that is what happening now. Characters like the POTUS and Erdogan are thrown up to assist powerful interests from behind the scenes.
Like the world has survived so far, it will blunder along with people like us worrying about it needelssly.
“…people like us worrying about it needlessly.”
?? I assume you don’t waste your time worrying about things you can’t change. Life is too short for that. 😉
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
I’m done headbeating about the things I cannot change.
Yep, life is too short to waste it. The question is should we avoid reading pessimistic articles? If they upset you, then yes. I’ve always been interested in human nature and history, so I would be cheating myself if I stopped watching what’s going on.
I think citizens must accept some of the responsibility for democracies woes for not exercising each individuals obligation to educate themselves, then vote intelligently — at least in the U.S.. When you consider the percentage of people who actually vote in each election at local ones, midterms and even the four year national ones here in the U.S., many are shirking their duty. Reasons given by many who don’t even bother to vote are simply excuses for not fulfilling their responsibility.
People seldom educate themselves on the issues, that’s just reality. See today’s post, Human Nature in Action.