Is Democracy Dying? | Vital Football

Is Democracy Dying?

BodyButter

Vital Football Legend
I found the latest Russell Brand podcast fascinating. I know Brand is not to everyone's taste but his latest guest, David Runciman has a lot if interesting stuff to say.

He talks about the paralysis in Western liberal democracies. Nothing seems to get done any more and all efforts to change things have failed. Even more radical parties in Greece, Spain and Italy have been unable to change things when elected.

The US voted for Trump and apart from a tax cut, nothing has changed.

Western voters hark back to the good old days of 1947 to the mid-seventies when this style of government delivered real benefits to the electorate.

Runciman suggests that our liberal democracies are the problem and that we need a new form of government but doesn't have any solutions to offer.

I was born in 1978 so I missed those glory years (our footballing ones too) but the paralysis in the system seems clear now. Brexit has magnified it in the UK but it's clear that the situation is the same across the Western world.

Is Western liberal democracy at an end? Did it achieve all it could by the mid-seventies? Is there a viable alternative.

I couldn't get a link to the podcast so I've put the youtube link below:

 
It has never really existed, just a shadow of it.

The only true democracy is voting on every decision, and that hasn't been tried since ancient Greece.
 
Think we 'all' forget that democracy is a new (ish) concept.

Do the alternatives work any better? Usually yes, for those at the top only though!
 
I do wonder if we are all sleep walking towards a not her war. The rise in isolationist views (brexit for a start) and nationalism across Europe is a concern. Didn't end well last time did it?
 
Yeah, it's a weird contradiction really. The youth are undoubtedly set for harder times than their parents, yet they are the more liberal and open voter base.

If anything the viewpoints should be reversed but they aren't.
 
I am glad it's not just me!!! This whole subject confuses the hell out of me.

I had to tell someone that Communists weren't liberals today. When did the word liberal become a catch all, for conservatives, for anyone they don't like?
 
I wish I had the answers but yes, you're certainly not alone and I think plenty of us spot the trends as they currently are - and a lot of it is backwards.

Brexit especially after all the gains and steps up in life, they are the base denying their kids the same chances having largely prospered yet felt held back.

The kids see it the other way (rightly).

It's just mental, but living in a life where a soundbyte carries more truth than the actual truth and real journalism to teach is entrenched in 'impressions and making money' rather than actually informing - plus the trend to self gratifying justification rather than challenging your own viewpoint - ah fuck it.

Those who know will guess my next paragraph lol
 
PMSL, I'm preaching to the converted and I want a lazy night!

Teaching critical thinking probably has its own pitfalls really. If you teach to question everything we'll just end up with more flat earthers and those arseholes sadly.
 
I am glad it's not just me!!! This whole subject confuses the hell out of me.

I had to tell someone that Communists weren't liberals today. When did the word liberal become a catch all, for conservatives, for anyone they don't like?

I'd guess it has something to do with the erosion of the left-right split.

It probably has something to do with the influence of American politics too.
 
It's also the theory behind coalitions being important because they nullify the extremes and become more centralist.