THE UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE AND THE BULLYING OF THE SCOTTISH ELECTORATE



A pernicious argument is now regularly mounted against democracy; it has appeared time and time again during the campaign for Scottish Independence, it has been used as an argument against an EU referendum and I am surprised that it has not yet, at least in this country, been used as an argument against a general election. The argument is that democracy creates ‘uncertainty.’ This usually refers to business decisions, to the financial markets, but can embrace matters as diverse as defence or pension payments. Some of these arguments are valid, but as anyone who has reached their mid-twenties can testify, life itself is uncertain, all choices involve risk. Elections and plebiscites are governed by the uncertainty principle, the laws of unintended consequences and unforeseen outcomes. This is a given. Now however we see this uncertainty as an argument against democracy itself.
This argument is made as much on the centre left as the right. Thus it goes that people should not be offered a vote on EU membership as it will create uncertainty and have a detrimental effect on investment. On the right such arguments are now made shamelessly. How irresponsible, they argued, of Ed Miliband to talk about Energy policy, which could only influence the energy companies to behave badly! Whilst big business now openly throws its weight around in the run up to a general election or, as we have seen this week, in the run up to the vote on Scottish independence.
That the Labour Party so gleefully embraced these threats as a boost for their support of the No vote deeply shames the party[1] and also provides a considerable hostage to fortune. How can they now argue for major changes to economic policy in the face of ‘independent’ reports and threats from the large corporations when they have so recently engaged with this assault on the democratic process?  
The legacy of this referendum campaign will live with us for a long time whichever way the vote goes, the engagement of the great mass of the Scottish electorate is something that should hearten any democrat. I hope they vote to stay within the Union. I also want that vote to be because this is what they freely choose, not because they have been bullied into it.

[1] John Reid cooing with delight like a baby having its tum tickled over Duetsche Bank’s seriously over the top warning about the impact of Scottish independence, - likening the effect to Weimar Germany,- turned the stomach.  

Popular posts from this blog

NESRINE MALIK AND THE UNSUNG VIRTUES OF HYPOCRISY

Image
As I write this a 27 year old woman, Mariam Ibrahim, has just had a baby in a Sudanese prison, ‘the condition of the mother and baby is not known as Ibrahim's lawyer and her husband, a US citizen, had been denied access to her. Omdurman women's prison has a basic clinic, where the child is thought to have been born. Ibrahim has been shackled since being imprisoned.’ [1]   Mariam also has an 18 month old child who is also being held in prison with her. The ‘crime’ for which she is imprisoned is apostasy, for which she has received the death sentence. She has also been sentenced to 100 lashes, for the additional crime of having sex with her Christian husband. Although she has been a lifelong Christian her father was a Muslim, Sudanese sharia law forbids women to marry outside the Muslim faith, men needless to say can do as they please in these matters. Mariam Ibrahim and her husband.  Nineteen countries punish their citizens for apostasy, and in 12 of those countries...
Read more

INTERVIEW WITH TOM VAGUE

Image
Tom Vague At the top end of All Saints Road there is a refuge, an enclave in which a local Bohemian culture retains a foothold, this is the Book & kitchen , a café/bookshop with adjoining terrace. Here the bustle of the nearby market gives way to conversation, conversation in the presence of images of the recent, and not so recent, past. The past of an area that has contributed so much to the life and culture of the city. I was there to meet local historian Mr Tom Vague a man intimately familiar with so much of this history. What Tom doesn’t know about the recent history of the area probably is not worth knowing. With Tom’s energy and effort Colville Community Forum, supported by City Living Local Life, recently held a gathering at The Book and Kitchen to celebrate this rich history. February 16 6-9 Pm, with Film Screening and Readings Exhibition February 16-26 2016. Featuring 30 Classic Westway Photographs and Posters. This represents one of a number of initiatives of t...
Read more

VOLINE AND TROTSKY

Волин и Троцкого A Footnote in Russian History In April 1917 the Russian anarchist revolutionary Voline* and Leon Trotsky were both stranded in New York as the Russian revolution broke out in Petrograd , inevitably coming into contact with one another. Voline stated that he felt that the Bolsheviks, given their ruthlessness and single minded determination, would ultimately come to power. They would then begin eliminating their opponents, amongst whom of course were the anarchists; this persecution would end with the Bolsheviks shooting the anarchists “like partridges.” Trotsky was dismissive, they might have their differences but they were comrades in arms, they had different interpretations of the revolutionary process but shared the same goals. It was nonsense to speak of Bolsheviks shooting revolutionary comrades, “we are socialists, comrade Voline! So we are not your enemies….” [1] In December of 1919, whilst gravely wounded Voline was captured by the Bolshe...
Read more