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FEUDAL DEMOCRACY

Synopsis of Chapters
  Chapter List
1 Introduction
2 National Independence
3 Feudal Monopolies
4 Political Parties
5 Politicians
6 The Justice System
7 The Financial System
8 The Fianna Fáil Party
9 Summary (Conclusion)

POLITICS

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Feudal Democ Synopsis
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Feudal Democracy (1-9)
Democracy 1.0
Constitution 1.0

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This Feudal Democracy section is a set of 9 chapters explaining why present political systems are not, and can NEVER be, truly democratic. The flaws are embedded within the design of the system itself. The only solution is true Democracy.

Feudal Democracy eBook

Chapter One - Introduction

(Most of this chapter was written September-December 2011)

This book is about democracy, and the democratic process.

You all know about democracy - don't you? Well you don't. You don't know the half of it. And no wonder - you have never experienced it - yet.

Unfortunately human beings use words in a very haphazard manner - in a very human manner. We associate words with ideas and in some cases a word or phrase can be associated with something which doesn't actually exist, in the truest sense, in the real world, for example dragon, leprechaun, honest politician. The ideas associated with those words just exists in our head, they don't have a reality. In some cases a word can become meaningless - an empty word. Democracy is such a word.

The term democracy and its concept is used by millions and millions of people all around the world and yet it has never been investigated as regards what it actually, truly, really, objectively means, or rather - what it should mean. The term Democracy has never been defined by most people. The term and concept of democracy as generally and universally understood turns out to be a fabrication, an illusion, an unfulfilled dream, a misconception - a fraud - a lie.

This Section, Feudal Democracy, and its nine chapters, will investigate the processes within our present so-called democratic system which prevents it from ever being a true democracy. Later, in the Democracy 1.0 Section, it will also investigate what a true democracy should look like, taste like, smell like, and act like and describes what it would be like living within a society organised on true Democratic principles. Thereafter you will be armed with the knowledge of what a true democracy should be. I guarantee you will not find many parallels between the democracy you are experiencing now and the Democracy 1.0 as described within.

In order to differentiate the old meaningless, empty word - the lie - democracy, as is practiced in Ireland, Britain, the United States and other nations, from that of a true democracy I will use the term Democracy 1.0 to denote the practical, realistic, true, democratic political system and the term ‘so-called democracy’ to describe the political systems we now have in Ireland, the USA, the UK etc in 2012.

Although for the most part my investigations of the present system of political organisation mistakenly described as democratic, and my subsequent practical proposals for a Democratic 1.0 political system are based on the present political system in place in Ireland, the theory and principles of a true democratic political system, Democracy 1.0, can be applied to many other so-called democratic nations, or at least the principles can be applied to varying degrees, depending on that particular nation. So although I may use the term Irish citizen, this can be applied to any citizen anywhere on this planet.

This is NOT a Great Literary Work

My name is Lou Gogan. I am a citizen of Ireland. I am a philosopher. I am a thinker. I am many other things - well a few anyway. One thing I am not, and I freely admit it, with no shame whatsoever - I am NOT a literary author. You will find nothing of literary merit on this site, no matter how hard you look. If you want literature you are definitely in the wrong place.

This site is about thoughts and realities and the unearthing of fundamental truths, and the revealing of fundamental lies - I consider myself very good at these things, but I would be the first to admit that my phraseology, use of words, and my many many MANY repetitions will make some readers cringe. So lovers of words - brace yourselves - it's going to be a rocky but very productive and worthwhile journey!

My purpose here is to attempt to explain and reveal some of the political processes taking place right before your eyes, the true nature of which you are utterly oblivious, and which are irrevocably detrimental to the democratic political process, which condemns each and every citizen to a life little better than that of a passive submissive peasant of feudal times past.

The best way I can describe what I am trying to do is this:
Imagine that you can see in 2D, whereas I can see in 3D. We are both looking at a photo of a football player about to kick a ball. You see the photograph and say the ball is round. I, with my 3D vision also say that the ball is round, but the difficulty which I will face is that I will be trying to describe to you that the ball is ROUND - really round! I will be trying to explain something to you which you cannot see. You may agree, but you will still not understand my viewpoint.

Thus I will have to use many examples to try and get you to see beyond the 2D, beyond the superficial view which you now hold, beyond the propaganda which you have been fed over the years, regarding the so-called democracies around the world. The problem is, that without this realistic and critical view of the political system as it now operates, you will never understand that the political system itself needs to be changed in order to install a true democracy in your nation.

Originally I had intended to write a book, and if I was lucky enough to get it published, to present the edited and polished, well organised, properly worded and phrased version for the Irish citizens to read and discuss in printed form, but the present difficulties within Ireland and many other so-called democratic Nations has forced me to throw all caution to the wind and made me decide to put my thoughts as they are, rough and ready - but definitive, online for those citizens crushed by the feudal political systems they have to live under, to read, understand, discuss and then make the revolutionary choice between feudal democracy or Democracy 1.0.

Terminology

I know the following is going to cause problems for some but that cannot be helped.

One great difficulty when approaching any topic from a philosophical viewpoint and putting the subsequent thoughts down on paper is the lack of a pronoun for the human individual, regardless of gender. Often what writers do is to alternate between using 'he' and 'she' but I find that very off-putting as regards making things as plainly understandable as possible - and believe me, you will find problems trying to grasp some of the points I am trying to make within this site. Others use the term 'he/she' which is more acceptable to a limited degree but becomes very tedious.

I think there is no point in delaying the inevitable. As a philosopher I cannot stand this irrational use of 'he' when that pronoun refers to a human of either gender. It is rational to use a non-gender pronoun therefore I will use a non-gender pronoun.

So what I will do is use a term for the individual which encompasses both genders. On this site I will use the word 'be' (biological entity) to describe an individual, as follows:

be = he, she
- he is a tall man
- she is a caring mother
- if be is a good citizen be deserves all the protection a democratic system can give ben

bes = his, hers
- in his mind men should be paid more
- in her mind a mother who stays at home should be paid by the state
- in bes mind each person should be paid fairly

ben = him, her
- if he is ill the state should look after him
- if she is out of a job the state should look after her
- if a person is in an accident all medical structures should be made available for ben

beself = himself, herself
- the man, himself, has responsibilities
- the woman, herself, has responsibilities
- the person, beself, has to realise that be has responsibilities

It may seem awkward at first - it IS awkward at first - but you will find that they will make sense within the context of the sentence. Also, at a very specific point in the site, you will realise that it actually makes sense.

In General

This isn't like a book which should be read for entertainment and thereafter discarded. I guarantee there is no entertainment here. Each and every citizen should read the chapters on this site individually in the correct order, slowly and with thoughtfulness and consideration. I know most people will be tempted to skip to the Democracy 1.0 Section rather than wade through the problems with our so-called democratic system because you think they know all about them. This is not so.

Most of the time we just take things for granted without questioning underlying facts and principles, and this is very natural, we're all busy getting on with our own lives and worries - except for philosophers, of course! But changing a political system is no game. Every citizen needs to fully and comprehensively understand ALL the problems inherent within the present feudal political system in place before you will be able to understand all the changes which are both necessary, and urgent, to make Democracy a reality.

You must begin to think, what most people would consider the unthinkable - that this political system is actually not a true democratic system and come to the inevitable conclusion that serious, long-term, fundamental groundbreaking changes are required if the future of your Nation and its citizens is going to be any different to that which we are experiencing at present and have experienced in the past.

When I use the term 'changes' I do not use the term as President Obama and others have used it - as an empty catchphrase used to placate and mislead the masses, which has resulted in the dilution and corruption of its previous meaning to the point where that word, like the word democracy, has become just another empty word, expertly used to keep the peasants happy.

That word has been thoroughly misused and abused by every politician, who, knowing that this is exactly what the citizens desire, say that magic word with the sincerity of a lifelong experienced slick conman, but having not the slightest intention of ever giving real consideration to its enactment, for they, themselves, would be the ones to lose out were any real positive changes to be implemented.

When I use the word 'change' I mean CHANGE. Everestal change. Historical change. Democratic change. Revolutionary change. I will be proposing changes which you couldn't even imagine now, as you are still under the spell of the old system and all its lies and propaganda. Hopefully each citizen will come to realise that this political system must GO!

Nevertheless, I truly believe in Democracy, which means the choice of the majority dictating the organisation of the political system, no matter what the choice, no matter what the outcome. As far as I am concerned Democracy 1.0 can only, and will only, germinate, grow, mature, come to fruition and serve the citizens - if it is the will of the people - if and only if it is the will of the MAJORITY of the people.

So, if you're determined enough, take a deep breath, READ and THINK. Become a true citizen searching for a true democracy.

Perfect Political System

Since this nation gained independence ninety years ago we have never had a true democratic political system in place and the citizens of this nation have suffered as the result. This happens in most nations which gain independence. For the most part the vested interests have stolen the resources of this nation and divided them up among themselves leaving little or nothing for the citizens but bankruptcy and grief. This book is about CHANGING this political system totally and absolutely and installing a Democracy.

Firstly, from the outset, let me make one thing very clear - there is no perfect political system. There can never be any perfect political system. There can never be any perfect method of organising society. There are no perfect individuals or citizens (not even you!). There are no perfect circumstances. There are no perfect regulations. There are no perfect values.

These are facts and it will always be thus.

Also, even if there were any perfect instances of any of the above, another fact is that circumstances change. Tribal (national) beliefs change. Values change. Experience, in some (too few) cases, can enlighten and bring change. Attitudes can evolve. So even if there was a perfect political system in place it would not be a foregone conclusion that it would still be perfect in fifty years time.

democracy 1.0 is definitely not an outline for the perfect society or some plan to bring about a political utopia. The dreams of social and economic philosophers, despite their seemingly unquestionable perfect logic at the time, inevitably are fated to be shown as misguided fancies paid for in social upheavals and lives ruined in drudgery, poverty, and in many cases destruction. The price for those failures of political dreams is paid for by the citizens - those who actually had very little say in the decisions of those who thought they knew best.

So, these proposals are not about the perfect political system for the simple reason that there can never be such a thing. Rather, they are about a better political system within the constraints and limitations as listed above and taking into account human nature, which is usually at the heart of most problems in the world. Any worthwhile design of a democratic system must take all these facts into consideration.

What my proposals do is to suggest a method of organising the citizens, within a Democracy 1.0 political system, so that the citizen will have a say both as regards the legislation and regulations in place but, just as importantly, will give the citizens an opportunity to mould the political system for the benefit of the citizens themselves. It will give ownership of the political process into the hands of the citizens. That's what Democracy IS.

Proposal Title - Democracy 1.0

The reason I have chosen to title this proposed political system 'Democracy 1.0' is because I am, in part, a computer nerd, or at least a computer nerd wannabe. In the computer world computer programs start off as v0.1 (v standing for version) and carry on being amended and upgraded until it is fully operational and ready for its unveiling to the general public as version 1.0.

This is how I see democracy. If you understood what a democratic society and political system should in reality be you would see that up to now there have been no democratic societies, in the true sense. It has been merely a pretence - just the window-dressing of an old system.

I hope to explain just how a democratic society should and could be organised. Then you will see that this new system can be best described as Democracy 1.0.

Target Audience

For the most part this book is about changing feudal political systems around the world so they can become true democracies, where the wishes of the citizens actually count. Whether it will be easier to do so in Ireland than in other countries because of its small size and small population (less than 4.6 million) only the future can tell.

Nevertheless, these proposals show the way forward, firstly by showing just how badly organised the present so-called democratic systems are to the point where the appearance of democracy is shown to be merely that - an appearance and nothing more. Secondly it shows what political structures are required to be changed or put in place within other countries to begin the journey towards democracy.

Most of the examples I use in this book are based on my experiences of the Irish political system, but I include examples based on politics in the USA, the UK and possibly other countries if I am aware of them but these can easily be replaced by examples from whatever country you live in.

Feudal Democracy - An Experiment

There has been a continuous political system of democracy in action for a relatively short time span in human history (apart from the system in place in Greece approximately 2,000 years ago). Democracy, as such, didn't evolve and improve gradually over the years but in a lot of cases was an overnight change from a political system of hereditary power structures, or colonial dictatorisl governance, to one where the peasants and serfs of old suddenly became citizens within a new so-called democratic political system.

To all intents and purposes the change from a feudal system to the so-called democracies was haphazard, usually instigated by either the new 'rulers' who had fought the revolutionary war and were now in charge, or 'installed' by the colonial powers who decided to give the Nation back to the people. There was no real rational planning, as regards the process of democracy itself.

Any form of social organisation, no matter how well organised, must naturally require change reflecting the change in circumstances and aspirations of the people. It must also change based on the understanding of the faults within that system which will reveal themelves over the decades. This is even more markedly necessary in the case of a democratic system.

This has not happened in so-called democracies for the simple reason that the political system in place - feudal democracy - is not capable of this type of dynamic change. This political system is a relic of the feudal past and is a monolith blocking any opportunity for genuine change and evolution.

As a result, in 2012, many nations are left with a political system which has crashed and has failed the citizens miserably. Though, keep in mind, it is not the case where democracy has failed but rather, as I hope to demonstrate within these pages, the system which is considered as being democratic was never actually a real and true democratic system in the first place.

The present experiment of feudal democracy has failed and so there is no other choice but to consider the installation of a new experiment - Democracy 1.0, to correct the dysfunctional nature of the present political system, which should have a good chance of being more successful for reasons set out in the following chapters.

The Passive Citizens

Some responsible and politically aware citizens have all but resigned themselves to the fact that there is no point in trying to bring about political change because of the proven total lack of any apparent interest shown by the majority of the citizens as regards the weaknesses of the present political system with its never ending incidents of injustice, corruption and gross incompetence. This is not only with reference to Ireland. The majority of citizens in these farcical democracies just seem to accept it all, passively. (This is very similar to the passive acceptance of their fate by the Jews in the concentration camps during World War Two.)

Yet, this natural acceptance of the hierarchical power structure is a real frustration to those who truly care about their nation and its future and want to see change.

I think the main reason for this lack of interest is not that the citizens are actually disinterested but rather because they have come to realise that it is pointless to attempt to alter anything in this regard. They realise they have no say. To attempt to bring in changes within the present so-called democratic system we are burdened with, is not only pointless but also very discouraging so in the long run it's better not to bother, no matter how annoyed or frustrated many citizens, if not most, may become.

It is also the case that although there may be many who want the system to be 'changed', they don't precisely know what 'change' they want. This is the main weakness in most of the protests around the world, especially the 'Occupy Wall Street' movement, and the revolutions in some Arab Nations. The goal, the end point, has not been considered. It has not been defined. There is absolutely no point in protesting and seeking change when that change has never been understood or defined. How can it succeed? Succeed at what?

What I am proposing is a political system where the citizens will have a means and opportunity to become part of the political process in a constructive and positive manner. In a Democratic 1.0 political system it won't be a case of trying to get the voice of a citizen heard but rather a case of to what level each citizen wants to have bes voice heard.

How many times in each citizen's life has be been annoyed with some regulation or aspect of life over which the politicians have total control. How many times has each citizen done something about it? Generally never, not even once, though some may take part in a protest march for a particular reason, in practically every instance it is for what they can get for their locality - not for the benefit of the Nation - not for a change in the political system.

But imagine a political system where each individual citizen can have a say and not only voice bes anger but can also voice bes suggestions. Under those circumstances would it still be the case that the citizens wouldn't bother? I don't think so. I sincerely hope not. Otherwise I am wasting my time here.

One thing Democracy 1.0 demands, and requires, is that most citizens become active citizens - later this will be explained fully. It must start by each and every citizen thinking about everything I write here and understanding the processes which cause the failures. To a degree each and every citizen will be taking on the responsibility of the future quality of this Nation and its political system. Peasant selfish attitudes of the past have no place in this Democracy 1.0.

Constitution

In the past I used to think that a Constitution should only incorporate aspirations of that Nation and also specific regulations as regards the political system (elections) and the legal system so as to prevent a dictatorship of any form from gaining power and subsequently deciding not to hold elections (though a real dictator would just ignore the Constitution anyway).

Theoretically this makes sense and has been considered as being suitable up to now. But theory unfortunately doesn't or at least hasn't taken into account the inherent weaknesses of human beings. Dishonesty, greed, stupidity, short-sightedness and the fickle nature of human beings alongside the destructive processes caused by the very political system itself make it imperative that a different attitude towards what should be incorporated within the Constitution is urgently required.

A true Democratic Constitution 1.0 must be very different from that which we, in Ireland, and other so-called democratic Nations have been fobbed off with.

In effect, the real cause of the failure to implement a true democratic system in many nations is because of the failure of the Constitutions of those Nations. The Constitution is the foundation on which the political system is built and a flawed Constitution can only lead to catastrophe - for the citizens.

My Motivation

I am Irish. At present I am 55 years old. I am not a political animal. I am just a victim of the present political system like many other citizens in many Nations, though to be honest, I personally haven't been directly effected to a significant degree by the present financial destruction of the Irish Nation, but as a citizen, as an Irish citizen who cares, my whole life has been effected.

So this isn't about money. In the long run that is of no real importance. This is about the simple everyday freedom, justice and equality which every citizen in every Nation should be entitled to. I want to see those who impoverish and enslave millions of citizens punished for their crimes. I want to see Democracy 1.0 - IN ACTION. I want an Ireland of which I can truly be proud to be able to say - I am an Irish citizen. I want an Ireland where it will actually mean something of value to be a citizen. I want an Ireland where I am not a victim of the political system. I want to see citizens of other Nations not being victims of their political systems.

I am a philosopher and the great advantage, or curse, in being a philosopher is having the tendency, and desire, to view the behaviour of fellow humans as a class of behaviour, rather than what generally happens which is that most people view each separate incident, process or investigation as individual and then come up with separate individual explanations which if viewed together, and compared side by side, would end up all contradicting each other to some degree and would show the irrationality of those separate explanations.

The philosopher is, for the most part, only interested in the big picture - the general fundamental principles. The single action, the single incident, the single situation is of very little importance - it doesn't reveal truth if treated individually.

Politics IS about general principles - the big picture - the fundamental structure. Politics is about regulating human behaviour and interaction with the purpose of the organisation of individuals for their collective protection and enhancing the possibility of a better quality of life for each and all.

During the property bubble and the frantic uncontrolled madness of blind excess in financial matters, especially on behalf of the politicians who were recklessly running around like headless chickens so proud and full of self-importance and surety, gloating at the expansion of the Nation's finances, I dreaded the inevitable and thoroughly foreseeable crash. Any rational person could see it coming and there was nothing that could be done, as a citizen, to stop this insanity. Then all hell broke loose and the crash came.

In early 2009 I realised that the present financial failure in Ireland wasn't a ‘one-off’ situation but a demonstration, and confirmation, of a fundamental systemic weakness and total failure of the political system at its very core. For me, the one very frightening aspect to it all was the terrible realisation that despite the fact I was living in a democracy, or so I thought, I - as a 55 year old citizen - had no say whatsoever in the decision either to bankrupt my Nation, or in any of the other numerous catastrophic decisions made by politicians which have destroyed the quality of life of the citizens and the spirit of this Nation over the years.

In reality I, as a citizen living in Ireland, never had a say as to how the country should be run. I realised that this was not a democracy but merely some form of mirage which when you look at more closely vanishes away to nothing like its original appearance leaving a stark truth very different from the perceived system of equality and democracy we are all fooled into believing exists. As a citizen of Ireland I was utterly powerless. I found that revelation very disturbing. So I began to question not the politicians but the very political system itself.

That year, and most of the following, I sat on my ideas. I didn't even listen to the news on the radio and television, I literally had to stop listening - my anger knew no bounds - the people had been lied to, and cheated, and robbed and to make matters more unbearable for me, the Irish didn't seem to be bothered about it at all. And we were all powerless anyway. In fact each news item just confirmed the realisation that I was powerless.

In fact it reminded me very much about the film The Matrix where humans were living in a dream world and their sole purpose in life was generating 'energy' (wealth) for their controllers. This may seem far-fetched but wait till I show you how the political system actually works. You will come to realise that all citizens living in so-called democracies are for the most part just slaves to the system - the feudal system. The appearance of democracy was in place merely to pacify the powerless citizens.

For awhile I tried to forget about the whole political and financial fiasco. I didn't take part in discussions in work or elsewhere. I totally shut myself off from the inexorable downfall of the freedoms of the Irish people.

But, although I am more angry with the submissive Irish citizens than anything I could put into words, in some cases more angry at them rather than at the very politicians milking the system dry, it is also the sad case that many other Nations have the same problem. The American citizens have nothing to boast about. They have been utterly bankrupted beyond description by those whom they have put into power. They are certainly not living in a democracy. Within a few years they will reap a terrible harvest because of their failed political system. The British, the French, the Greeks, the Italians, the Spanish, the Australians etc are for the most part suffering the same subjugation.

The fact is that most human beings of all nationalities have the mentality of backward peasants, rather than citizens. They cannot help but think like backward peasants. There are very good reasons for this, and vital to understand if Democracy 1.0 is to be embraced and put into practice. Firstly, they know no better because they have never lived in a real democracy and secondly, for the most part, compliance is inbuilt into the human psyche - we accept a hierarchical power structure. This is actually a vital aspect to human nature - an inbred human positive trait - BUT immensely destructive especially in a feudal democratic system.

Also, as a philosopher, looking at the fundamental forces within politics (the organisation of people) it is easy to see that a few key aspects of political organisation which have always been undemocratic and which have never changed, despite the appearance of both change and progress - always only superficial, must be thoroughly understood, confronted and controlled in Democracy 1.0.

Behaviour is dictated by human thought processes and human nature. As regards human nature, there has been no change - ever, and there will never be any change. Thus, naturally enough, politically, there has been very little. The fundamentals haven't changed - just the appearance and fashion of society, or the various political systems which come and go. Fundamentals do not change. You may think you live is a far better organised political system than the past but just scrape under the surface and see the disturbing facts which lie beneath.

Before I go any further I also want to make some things very very clear.

Later on you may jump to conclusions that I am taking sides. I am not. The only side I am on is the side of the citizens. I am not going to repeat this anywhere else later on. So keep this in mind.

Irish Political References

Some explanations for those who aren't of Irish origin.

Dáil Éireann
The Irish Parliament, or The Dáil. The institution which creates the laws of Ireland. This is where the power lies in Ireland. This is mainly controlled by the political parties.

The Seanad
The Irish Senate. They can delay laws but for the most part have no powers. This is mainly controlled by the political parties.

The Taoiseach
The Prime Minister. This position is mainly controlled by the political parties.

TD (Teachta Dála)
Member of the Irish Parliament. These positions are mainly controlled by the political parties.

County Councils
These are local political bodies. The members are directly elected by the people in the locality. These are mainly controlled by the political parties.

Councillor
Local politician elected to the local County Council. These positions are mainly controlled by the political parties.

Garda (Gardaí)
Member of the Irish police force.

Cronyism
The appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper regard to their qualifications - 'loyal' supporters of a political party being given preferential treatment despite their incompetence, greed and stupidity.

References

There are few references in this book because I have tried to confirm and double check all information and facts - news items - I use as examples (though exact numbers, amounts etc are not relevant). But I would feel it disingenuous not to mention those media outlets (web sites) which I have found to be very helpful.

I have decided to list them alphabetically as per their websites so as not to give the impression that one was more important than another.

en.wikipedia.org       - I, like many others, would be lost without wikipedia
www.dailymail.co.uk    - The Mail online (UK newspaper)
www.herald.ie          - The Evening Herald (Irish newspaper)
www.independent.ie     - The Irish Independent (Irish newspaper) - very good
www.irishexaminer.com  - The Irish Examiner (Irish newspaper)
www.irishtimes.com     - The Irish Times (Irish newspaper)
www.nationalist.ie     - The Nationalist (Irish newspaper)
www.rte.ie             - RTE Newsfeeds (Irish TV and Radio stations)
www.sundayworld.ie     - The Sunday World (Irish newspaper)
www.wexfordecho.ie     - The Wexford Echo (Irish newspaper)

Thesaurus Help
I also have to mention http://thesaurus.reference.com/ as an aid in helping me out of my disgraceful lack of word-power. I use Linux for my computer operating system and used a simple script to look up words on this site. If I had been forced to look up a thesaurus by hand online, or even worse by using my old Roget's Thesaurus gathering dust on my book shelf, my life would have been more difficult. It's difficult enough as it is!

Human Nature

I am very reluctant to include this section but it just cannot be omitted.

Throughout these proposals I talk about human nature though this is definitely not a book about human psychology, but human nature is an important aspect to keep in mind when investigating the democratic political possibilities for the very fact that it is human beings who ‘run the political process’. It is human beings who ARE the political process. It is human beings who manipulate, and take advantage of the weaknesses in the political process.

A wonderful political theory is nothing more than that - a theory, and unless it takes human nature into account it should never be anything more than that - it can never be anything more than that - except with dire consequences for those who have to suffer under its dominance.

Our financial situation in Ireland - our bankruptcy - is a direct result of human nature, both of the politicians, the financial sector and the voters. The causes lie scattered at all levels of society and at all levels of power and authority.

The list includes:

• the stupidity of the executives of the international banks and lending institutions
• the greed, stupidity, arrogance of the executives in the Irish banks and lending institutions
• the greed of the investors, speculators and property developers
• the criminal stupidity of the politicians
• the stupidity and arrogance of the financial experts
• the very questionable criminal activities of the accountants
• the utter stupidity and arrogance of the economists
• the stupidity and gullibility of the ordinary everyday Irish citizen who borrowed to provide a lifestyle beyond what be could actually afford

Also, to prove my point that understanding human nature is vital in attempting to find a practical political system all you have to do is take a look at the citizens complaining about the politicians lining their own pockets at the expense of the Nation.

They complain and complain and complain without understanding one simple fact - an absolute true unalterable fact - that in most cases they would do the very very same thing if they had the same opportunity as the politicians. That is why merely changing politicians is a waste of time and will solve nothing. It is the system itself which must be changed.

As it is at present, there are many ordinary everyday citizens taking much more than they should from the system, and yet are still complaining about those at 'the top' talking too much. Yet, those at the top can defend their generous payments - just as you would if you were in their place!

This is why human nature must be taken into account when attempting to create a better political system. A theoretical political system whereby the citizens have to change their human nature for it to be successful will fail miserably. Any political system worth any real consideration must start with the fundamental aspects of human nature, namely:

• humans are selfish
• humans are stupid
• humans are greedy
• humans are exploitative
• humans think in the short term (what individual has ever considered what the result of bes actions will be in 100 year's time?)
• human beings are generally passive
• human beings generally accept the norm

This is not an exhaustive list, just some of the major human 'weaknesses'.

Whereas humans can be selfish with all those unpleasant traits mentioned, a political system which may be of any worthwhile value must have processes, regulations and controls firmly in place so as to lessen the negative traits which humans dearly love to condemn but yet dearly hold on to, from affecting the life of the Nation too negatively, but not only that, but it is imperative that a political system think of the future and do its utmost to prevent human nature today from destroying the lives of future generations.

There is one aspect of human nature which runs through both the causes of our financial situation and also my proposals and I need to deal with it here to 'get it out of the way', or at least introduce it. In general you could call it - human self-esteem.

The simple rule of thumb is this. The more you pay people, above what they actually earn, the more they consider that they actually deserve this level of pay merely for them being themselves. In other words they begin to feel that this should be automatic - that this is what they are due - and don't have to actually earn it. This level of pay becomes their 'norm'.

An amazing example of that type of thinking has occurred recently where bankers who have bankrupted the company they worked for expected pay rises, bonuses and huge pensions. It seemed utterly incredible? But not really - not when you understand human nature.

But also, this aspect of human nature isn't only confined to financial wealth. The 'norm' is whatever we become used to. This is utterly natural. We would not be able to cope with new changes unless we were able to assimilate them whereby they become the new 'norm' - the new baseline upon which future situations will be compared and judged.

The problem with that is that if there is no reality check, as regards the financial system, both bank-wise and Nation-wise, the citizen will always judge that anything less than what they have become to see as the 'norm', makes their quality of life almost unbearably poor. They naturally expect the future to be as good as if not better than the baseline they have mentally adopted. At present this is one of the most dangerous attitudes to have.

This also explains why citizens today, living in political systems which oppress them and take away their rights, mistakenly think they are living in democracies. The reason being that that is what they grew up believing. That is their experience. So they wave their National flags and declare that their Nation is democratic. They know no better.

Another thoroughly natural aspect to human nature is this notion and acceptance of a hierarchical structure within the human population. It is natural and it makes sense - except when it comes to a democratic political system. Then it can be thoroughly destructive for the Nation. This acceptance is the norm. It is automatic. It is invisible.

An extreme example of this was this incredibly irrational attitude of the ‘divine right of kings’ whereby a monarch could justify any action on the universal understanding that be had the power and authority because it was the will of god. Even the peasants held that viewpoint. The sad reason that this was ever seen as being a rational attitude and actually taken as being true is that this attitude is caused by human nature.

This type of thought process is in our genes. This is how humans 'think'. You may be surprised, you may be very surprised to learn that this 'quality' of hierarchical thinking (though usually not based on royalty anymore) is still around, in different forms, in most human beings today - even in Ireland and other so-called developed countries. The usual mental term, or thought process associated with this effect is 'our betters', or 'ones betters'.

People still have faith in ‘our betters’, or ‘leaders’ - this is human. At present people have faith in President Obama despite the fact that he has helped to introduce a Police State in the USA and is daily arranging that the rights of the citizens are removed slowly but surely leaving them as peasants in their own land. People had faith in Hitler. People had faith in Stalin.

Throughout the following pages I will make all this much clearer, or at least I will do my very best to.

Lou Gogan

Update: 6th March 2013