Party System
Published on 19. February 2024
125 pages
978-1-991141-23-1 (ISBN)
Description
Pertinent to America, Britain, and other Western democracies, this book explains that what people believe happens in national assemblies and parliaments is radically different from the reality. Instead of being places where debate is intense, passionate, and aimed at the national interest, the fact is most members of these institutions act on behalf of powerful, unelected interests. They know, implicitly, who really runs the country-and their only real task is to decide if they want to try and rock the boat (thereby risking their salary, their reputation, their future), or stay silent for fear or favour. The book demonstrates beyond any doubt that the very nature of the system is hostile to democracy as laypeople understand it.-Print ed.
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Content
- Intro
- TABLE OF CONTENTS
- PREFACE-A WORD ON THE LATE ELECTION
- I-THE REPRESENTATIVE SYSTEM
- THE IDEA OF REPRESENTATION
- WHAT THE PUBLIC THINKS
- PAST AND PRESENT
- II-THE GOVERNING GROUP
- THE MAKING OF MINISTRIES
- THE PLACEMEN
- THE SECRET ALLIANCE
- III-THE HOUSE OF COMMONS AS IT IS
- THE CONTROL OF THE TIME-TABLE
- HOW IT WORKS
- A CONCRETE EXAMPLE
- "THE TONE OF THE HOUSE"
- IV-THE SECRET FUNDS
- THE UNMENTIONABLE TRUTH
- THE SALE OF LEGISLATIVE POWER
- THE SALE OF POLICIES
- V-THE CONTROL OF ELECTIONS
- THE PARTY CAUCUS
- THE SELECTION OF CANDIDATES
- AN ELECTION
- THE SELECTION OF PROGRAMMES
- VI-THE DEFENCE
- THE EXCUSES
- THE REAL SUPPORT
- THE PERIL
- VII-CAN IT BE MENDED?
- NOTES
- A NOTE ON CO-OPTION
- A NOTE ON COLLUSION
- A NOTE ON THE PRESS
