Political Parties in Democracy 1.0

Political parties CANNOT and WILL NOT be allowed to exist within a Democratic 1.0 political system.

Introduction

Most people will be astonished at the previous sentence. We are all so used to the fact that political parties are such an integral part of the political system we were brought up in. There are many who would even think that a prerequisite for a political system to be democratic would be the very existence of political parties so the citizens would have a choice. Well, that viewpoint is totally incorrect, so incorrect in fact that it is utterly strange that political parties were ever allowed to exist within the system in the first place (not that the citizens ever had a choice)!

In effect, the best way to understand how corrosive the existence of political parties is on Democracy is to define political parties in this way: political parties are dangerous conspiracies against the citizens of any nation for they hijack the democratic process and prevent the citizens from having their rightful participation in the political system.

That is why it is so important to stop and question those very institutions, and political arrangements, which we take so much for granted so as to ascertain whether, in effect, they ARE a positive aspect to the political life of the citizens of the Nation or just another aspect which we never consider questioning but which ends up oppressing and robbing the citizens of their democratic power and authority. The mere existence of political parties is poison to democracy but few have ever questioned their existence.

Of course, if you have already read Feudal Democracy - Chapter 4: Political Parties (will open in new tab) as advised, you will, and certainly should, be fully aware as to WHY I am stating this simple fact regarding political parties.

Scenario: Political Parties On The Island

Earlier on, on one of the first few pages of this Democracy 1.0 Section, I introduced a scenario - The Island with 100 citizens on it - in order to explain some simple facts without the pre-ordained influence of the political propaganda most of us were brought up to believe in.

Each of the 100 citizens has 100th part of the democratic power and authority and so in fundamental terms all citizens on the island are equal and have an equal say. This IS democracy.

Now imagine a case where a few unscrupulous citizens, 12 people, decide to form a group, the red gang, and pool their democratic power and authority so as to improve their chances to get their own way on certain matters.

Now whenever there is a vote, because they have agreed to vote together on a topic, with the preference decided by the red-leader, this red-gang (and especially the red-leader) has 12% of the power while each other individual citizen only has 1% of the power. In other words - the democratic system has been corrupted and distorted to such a degree that democracy has, in effect and reality, ceased to exist within that Island Nation.

The existence of the red-gang automatically decreases the democratic say of each and every other citizen who is NOT a member of that red-gang. It is vitally important to understand this. When members of the red-gang are voting it has stopped being a case of voting for the best outcome for the island as a whole, but, rather, voting for the best outcome FOR THE RED-GANG. They have become a monopoly - a vested interest group. They are an ominous, dangerous and direct threat to every other citizen who is not a member of that group.

In a real life island situation it would be highly dangerous to allow a gang to form. The existence of gangs would have to be banned outright for the protection of ALL the citizens and the protection of the democratic political system.

As an aside, this is similar to a neighbourhood where a gang might be started by a bully. Immediately the dynamics of the neighbourhood would change and they would very quickly take over that neighbourhood and rule it to the detriment of all the families in that area.

So, although the propaganda we are brought up with tells us that we have a democracy because of the choice betwen different political parties it turns out that their very existence PREVENTS any true type of Democracy from ever taking hold.

Constitution 1.0:

Political Parties

The very existence of political parties is a serious, dangerous and direct threat to the quality of Democracy in this State. In effect, they are conspiracies against the citizens. Apart from the transition period between the previous feudal political system and the new Democracy 1.0 all political parties are banned, totally and absolutely. Those that are already in existence prior to the Transition Period must be wound down as per the instructions of the Transition Supervisor.

It is illegal to form, or attempt to form, any type of political party, or political group, whatsoever. Also no individual, if a member of a political party outside this jurisdiction, can be elected to any political or public office whatsoever.

Single issue political organisations for the sole purpose of achieving a single time-limited political aim or proposal may be permitted to come into existence but must be registered, it aims publically declared, and all members must be named and registered. These groups must be regulated and can only be permitted to exist if their existence does not threaten the Democratic 1.0 process. (This will need to be worded in such a way that it does not prevent citizens from trying to get their voice heard by other citizens).

During the Transition Period

During the Transition Period the use of the party whip or any other form of conspiracy against the citizens is declared illegal and must not be used in any manner whatsoever. Any meeting or discussion between members of a political party must be announced and publicised before the meeting and the purpose of the meeting must be made public. Permission must be sought and granted from the Transition Supervisor before any meeting can take place.

There will be further regulations and matters pertaining to political parties which will be divulged later, by the Transition Supervisor.

This Article cannot be deleted or diluted, under any circumstances, to the point where the existence of political parties is allowed. (future generations must also be protected from organisations which can and do corrupt the Democratic 1.0 process.)

Destructive Aspects Of Political Parties

This list is not exhaustive and is not argued here (it is so obvious it shouldn't require any arguments, once the dangerous nature of political parties is pointed out) but is merely a summary of some of the negative aspects which political parties have on the political landscape in any Nation.

The existence of political parties:

- dictates policies TO the citizens rather than the reverse
- concentrates power in the leader of the party
- encourages bribery (political authority concentrated in the hands of the few makes bribery easier)
- decreases the citizens' political choice
- increases the power of those unelected individuals who run the party
- decreases the quality of politician (those who rise up within the political party are only allowed do so because they serve the party and the officials within that party, with no consideration for the citizens at all)
- decreases the quality of political debate (catch-phrases, the party's manifesto, blind unquestioning party loyalty, party policies)
- dictates the type and quality of electioneering (turns into a slagging match in most cases)
- increases the level of corruption in politics (parties need funding and look for backers, deals done regardless of the effects on the citizens)
- increases the level of cronyism in politics (people join political parties for what they can get, the more corrupt the political party - the more reward for vigorous loyalty - the greater attraction for corrupt and incompetent followers and supporters)
- increases the level of incompetence in decision making (the criteria for any decision being made is what the effects it would have on the party elite and supporters)
- increases the level of instability in budgets (each party has its own pet projects which their followers want and there is the constant desire to undo the previous Government's attempt at introducing whatever proposals they happened to have)
- decreases the power of the individual citizen (when political parties rule, the citizens have absolutely no say whatsoever)

Transition Period

Although political parties must be banned immediately, as part of the initial transition period, the politicians already elected to office will still hold their seats for a temporary period until their continuance in office creates any difficulty in implementing any of the necessary Democracy 1.0 arrangements.

A truly democratic political system cannot be put into place while political parties exist and so the transition period must deal with them differently than when the political system has settled down. The unpleasant and destabilising situation of having politicians from political parties in place must be regulated and their influence limited and controlled to the maximum extent.

The party whip, whereby each member of a particular party must vote along ‘party lines’ will be banned from the first day of the Transition Period with severe penalties for any politician attempting to bypass that regulation.

There will be a need for a Transition Supervisor to keep control of the situation and force the politicians to behave themselves. Though as soon as the politicians become aware of the fact that, for the first time ever, they will be held to account for their behaviour, will certainly help to steer their attitudes and behaviour and concentrate their thoughts on what is best for the citizens.

Politics Without Political Parties

To say that politics without political parties is going to be different is a gross understatement. Politics will be utterly transformed. The citizens will be in charge for the first time in history! The political bullies, for the most part, will be thrown out of the political school yard and banished - forever.

Opposition politics - that comedy and farce which is played out in Parliaments all around the world - a waste of what could be very productive time, which we all have to experience, at OUR expense, will become a thing of the past.

Also politicians will have nowhere to hide - they usually hide within the party structure and use the ‘party line’ as a suitable cover for their ineptitude and lack of any understanding or thought. They will be out in the open, each one to be judged individually.

No previous member of a political party will be allowed enter, or remain, in politics (except temporarily, during the transition from a feudal system to a democratic one), though exception may be allowed if so decided by the citizens. This is one of the most vital differences between the feudal political system and the Democratic 1.0 system.

Banning political parties will free up the political system in ways that you couldn't even begin to imagine at this stage, but needless to say, this will be fully explained later on throughout this Democracy 1.0 Section.