Morris Tower
- 2014-06-24
The bit your wrote about big business and politics is correct. It is well known the large MNC's (multi-national corporations ) make often large political donations in certain democratic countries. Same with the large national companies in those countries.
My point is that in a place like UK or Australia a political party does not get elected unless enough people vote for them.
However, having said that, there are people who say that a voting system based upon preferences is wrong and a perversion of democracy.
So if a voting system is to be fair and proper, preferential votes should be abolished. People should only be able to put 1 in one box only.
I agree with you about Blair, and I don't like a two-party political system either. It's like in Australia also, Liberal and Labor.
There are other parties to vote for however.
Concerned Teacher
- 2014-06-23
If a government just keeps electing itself, how is that good for anyone?
Morris, we have governments that have kept electing themselves in the west for donkeys years mate. That's why people like Jesse Ventura in the US, live in Mexico, won't vote in the US electoral system, and would only vote for an independent, not someone from the Democrats or the Republicans. It does not matter who you vote for, the government always gets in.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14567566-democrips-and-rebloodlicans
This book explains how big business supports whoever gets in. Look how wall street realizing that they could not stop Obama becoming president decided that well if he is going to get in, at least we will have him on our side and so they bankrolled him so they could keep their cushy jobs.
I lost all faith in the UK system with blair and his lies on Iraq and raising tuition fees for students. I also do not like the current cameron-clegg alliance. I wish someone like the UKIP could get in, get us out of the EU and being taxed for a primarily french and german backed project that was only about energy in the first place back in 1973, but I am not even sure the UKIP are independent.
A good post there morris.
Cross-cultural
- 2014-06-22
Yes, that's what we Westerners take for granted. And in these terms, it could not be wrong. And what about a non-Western culture like China? Is it the same there? You will get the answer when you compare the foundations of both.
All governments need to have a mandate given to them by their own people. I mean, if they don't have that how can they have any legitimacy? If a government just keeps electing itself, how is that good for anyone?
Been There
- 2014-06-22
The Chinese people prefer financial security and growth to the values that you just mentioned.
Morris Tower
- 2014-06-22
A strong central government is useless if there is no freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and when the average citizen can't call a radio station or write a letter to the editor criticizing the government.
All governments need to have a mandate given to them by their own people. I mean, if they don't have that how can they have any legitimacy? If a government just keeps electing itself, how is that good for anyone?
Concerned Teacher
- 2014-06-22
as long as free, independent trade unions are illegal and prevented from operating freely
The thing is the Chinese are pretty smart, and saw what happened to Poland as a result of those unions. Granted since joining the EU, Poland has prospered, even leaving parts of England behind in terms of their economic development.
Many countries, especially the so called BRICS nations are challenging the idea that western democracy actually helps them, when in fact a strong central government with solid economic planning actually brings results. Even Obama himself remarked after a visit to Tianjins HSR station how much the USA's rail and transport infrastructure needs to be improved and updated. Doubtless, the yanks did an amazing thing building coast to coast highways in their new nation, but in terms of their airports and rail system, they are now lagging far behind even developing countries.
The problem I see with democracy is it involves too much hand wringing, look at the ongoing debate about the third runway for heathrow as an example, whereas a country like China or the United Arab Emirates, would simply build a whole new modern airport in record time, ready to receive the latest airplanes. The nearest airport to my hometown (manchester) does not even have the capability to serve the Airbus A380, which Emirates and others use, meanwhile Dubai has a whole terminal dedicated to it, and you can simply walk right off into the terminal...at manchester you have to be taxied and "parked" in some bay, and then bussed to the terminal. That is if the air traffic controllers are not on their coffee break at 7 am 
Granted there are human rights issues in a lot of the brics countries, and the UAE, but their development is nonetheless impressive. While I feel India is lagging far behind China, they also have a chance to be the next China, whether that is good or bad.
Either way, an interesting post there, have a good sunday.