The linked long term phenomena of falling electoral turnout and a decreasing percentage of those who do vote, voting for the two main parties, leaves politicians in power with the active support of an increasingly small minority of the population. To date this has not seriously impacted on consent – the Majority are apathetic, and devoid both of interesting sources of useful political information, and of social cohesion. Membership of organisations of horizontal solidarity is also in long term decline.
I would love to see an attempt at long term quantification of the difference between the parties in terms of the manifesto policies they offer. I have no doubt that there will be a very sharp reduction in difference, or rather policy convergence between the parties. If you look at 1911 – social insurance, pensions, power of the hereditary aristocracy, 1945 – nationalisation of major industries, initiation of the NHS and full welfare state, and 1983 – privatisation, nuclear weapons – there were very real and sharp political differences that offered voters a distinct ideological choice. The country – and your own future – could be recognisably different dependent on for whom you voted.
The last two times our government changed parties, the new party came in to pledge to continue the fiscal measures already projected by the treasury under its predecessors. Anyone who believes the Treasury would be fundamentally different under Balls or Osborne is delusional, and responding to tribalism not real difference. Who introduced tuition fees? New Labour. Who accelerated the “marketization” of the NHS? New Labour. Who vastly expanded PFI? New Labour. Who bailed out the banks? New Labour.
In effect, the parties offer exactly the same neo-con policies. NATO, Trident, Occupation of Afghanistan, Privatisation, Tuition Fees – the only apparent alternative at the last election came from the Lib Dems, and the electorate grasped at it in larger numbers than a third party had ever received before, something we have quickly forgotten. The reason that we have forgotten it is that Clegg, who was never any kind of Liberal, dumped the entire radical heritage of his party as soon as he came to power.
There is a much wider point to what happened to the Lib Dems. Two other changes – the introduction of PR for the European Parliament, and the large increase in expenses for MP’s staff – had made a radical change to that party. Lib Dem conferences were suddenly places of power dressing, not woolly jumpers. A great many young professional politicos – MPs research assistants, and staffers from Brussels – were all over the place. Bright, presentable, highly paid, most of them had no connection with liberalism, had never read John Stuart Mill or Hazlitt, had no idea who Lloyd George was and cared less. They had latched on to a rung of paid political work, had become part of the political class – that was the entire purpose of their activity. The woolly jumpered chap who had campaigned about paving stones in Salisbury and passionately wanted to abolish Trident and adopt green energy became sidelined, an amusing anachronism, the subject of the jokes of the sophisticates.
Of course, their focus groups showed that the people want policies which the ever shrinking ownership of the mass media promotes, because they are the only policies they have ever heard of. But the people no longer trust the ownership of the media, and the expenses scandal caused a much-needed scepticism of the appalling political class. People are desperate for leaders who look honest and say something different.
So do not despise UKIP supporters. They are not vicious racists. They are in fact brighter than those stupid enough to continue voting for the three neo-con parties, despite having their lives crippled for the next three decades to pay unconceivable sums to the bankers. The UKIP voters at least wish to punish the political class and wish to hear of some different policies.
The problem is that the only alternative of which the mainstream media is prepared to inform them is Mr Farage and his simple anti-foreigner maxims. Many of the bankers are keen to leave the EU, as Nigel Lawson told us. So if people want an alternative, that is the one they will be offered. Only in Scotland have people been offered a more radical alternative – and while I do not wish to exaggerate the economic radicalism of the SNP, they are markedly to the left of Westminster on issues like tuition fees, healthcare and PFI.
The great question of the day is, how to put before the population, in a way that they will notice, a radical alternative other than simple right wing populism. I have a strong belief that there remains a real desire in society for a more social policy, for a major and real check on the huge divergence between rich and poor, for good public services, for a pacific foreign policy, and for leaders not just in it for the money or to promote wealthy interests. But how do you get that message to people?
UPDATE
From comments made, there must be an ambiguity about this article which I don’t see myself. I made this clarification in a comment and I add it here for certainty:
Of course UKIP are not a real alternative. I said “do not despise UKIP supporters”, not “do not despise UKIP”. UKIP are a false “alternative” dangled by the mainstream media and the bankers. But the support for them is evidence that the public do very much want some alternative. I shall append this to the article as it must be more ambiguous than I thought.
Sofia
“Might I suggest that we have fought hard for democratic institutions in this country and that if you wish to change things then you use them, but a warning for the faint hearted and lazy this is not an easy route.”
I think you missed this bit – but quite happy to hear other ways as to how things should be changed. apart from the old lets throw the toys out of the pram routine which I would patronisingly suggest is more suited to infants than teenage revolutionaries.
PS. All the carbon of the worlds total fossil fuels, including coal, and chalk downs and coral reefs, used to be part of the primordial atmosphere, in the form of CO2. The Cretaceous period had approximately 600% more CO2 in its atmosphere compared to today, yet life thrived as a result; for the climate was a bit warmer, but not catastrophically so, and the plants were well fed to the point that they didn’t need broad leaves, as they do today.
Yes, Jimmy. Now read Wikipedia on the Cretaceous. (I’m a geologist*, but I’ll spare you the technical details, because I like you). You will see that broad-leaved plants began their rise during the Cretaceous, and that temperatures, particularly deep-ocean temperatures, were a good bit higher. Also most of the south of England was underwater. (lol)
As to the slowing rate of warming:
1. Will the rate continue to slow? The jury’s out, but if the slowdown is due to ocean pH falling, and dissolution of biogenic carbonate acting as a temporary sink for CO2, then possibly. Unfortunately this means a lot of shellfish and coral reefs will go. Ultimately the calcite compensation depth will rise to the surface, and then there will be no more buffering. By which time, I guess, big oil and Chinese coal will have ensured a point of no return.
2. This is a short-term trend superimposed on a much longer-term trend. Which is solid.
3. Warming hasn’t stopped. Think of it as the foot relaxing on the accelerator.
4. Oh, and look: [this doubling rate has slowed in the last decade] A complete coincidence that warming has slowed, then…but actually, the relationship isn’t usually believed to be that simple.
*Really. I don’t usually boast about it, but…
Vronsky, points well made and well taken. But: His value is as a champion of the cause, the debater that nobody wants to face, the interviewee who cannot be intimidated or wrong-footed. Of course he has a great advantage in that he can tell the truth, whereas his opponents (who include most BBC interviewers) must avoid it at all costs.
I’d say those are essential attributes for a political leader.
“History shows that successful revolutions depend on two things: a charismatic leader and good publicity.”
Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Mao…
What did you want a revolution for? We already consume far more that our fair share of resources were you hoping to improve on that? Salmond is already a fat pig is he hoping to get even fatter?
Over a quarter of the population of Scotland are clinically obese, one in 25 has type 2 diabetes but these figures aren’t good enough, they have to have a revolution, make themselves more prosperous.
John Goss
http://www.bees-online.com/RemoveBees.htm
Cementing the exit to the outside, without first killing the bees probably isn’t a good idea since when they wake up they will look for other cavities to the inside.
A lot of propping up of the numerous bars goes on in the HoC, all heavily subsidised by us.
17 May 2013
‘Unhealthy’ drink culture among MPs – Alcohol Concern
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22564369
17 May 2013
The ‘unhealthy’ drinking culture of MPs isn’t a private matter – it also impacts on public policy
Parliamentarians are as oblivious to the health risks of drinking alcohol as the general public and we have to ask what effect this is having on the nation’s health
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-unhealthy-drinking-culture-of-mps-isnt-a-private-matter–it-also-impacts-on-public-policy-8621365.html
Sofia Zobolotna-Habbercake, thanks very much for your suggestions. I like Indigo’s solution too, though it’s a bit too like the apathetic majority’s solution – do nothing. In this case it might be best. Thanks both for your entertaining comments.
“The next stage of course is to control the law enforcement officers so that they can develop selective blindness.”
That isn’t the next stage.
That was the last stage.
Every policeman from Gretna to the Outer Hebrides now has the same badge and the same boss.
Fred
You are absolutely correct – I wonder how long it will be before Craig realises there is no such thing as “liberal nationalism”. Of course the one thing that nationalists hate most is nationalists that support another nation – hence the antagonism to UKIP.
Who made the decision to commemorate the start of WWI and did Agent Cameron, presumably acting on instructions to instigate the commemoration next year, ask us if we wanted £55m of our taxes spent in this way? He is promoting nationalism in the style of the Diamond Jubilee ‘celebrations’. Disgusting spiv. He is off to Brussels again, this time on tax evasion. (David Cameron to seek action on tax avoidance at EU summit). He should look closer to home.
Remembering war to promote peace
The Guardian, Tuesday 21 May 2013 20.59 BST
Devastated Battlefield of The Somme, 1916
‘A military disaster and a human catastrophe’ … the devastated Somme battleground between Bapaume and Arras in 1916. Photo: Hulton-Deutsch Collection/Corbis
Next year marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the first world war. Far from being a “war to end all wars” or a “victory for democracy”, this was a military disaster and a human catastrophe.
We are disturbed, therefore, that David Cameron plans to spend £55m on a “truly national commemoration” to mark this anniversary. Mr Cameron quite inappropriately compared these events to the “diamond jubilee celebrations” and stated that their aim will be to stress our “national spirit”. That they will be run at least in part by former generals and ex-defence secretaries reveals just how misconceived these plans are.
Instead we believe it is important to remember that this was a war that was driven by big powers’ competition for influence around the globe, and caused a degree of suffering all too clear in the statistical record of 16 million people dead and 20 million wounded.
In 2014, we and others across the world will be organising cultural, political and educational activities to mark the courage of many involved in the war but also to remember the almost unimaginable devastation caused. In a time of international tension, we call on all those who agree with us to join us – by adding their names to ours at ww1.stopwar.org.uk – to ensure that this anniversary is used to promote peace and international co-operation.
Jude Law, Michael Morpurgo, Antony Gormley, Patrick Stewart, Carol Ann Duffy, Vanessa Redgrave, Simon Callow, Brian Eno, Lindsey German, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Tony Benn, Timothy West, Dominic Cooke, AL Kennedy, Janie Dee, Neil Faulkner, Heathcote Williams, Dame Harriet Walter, Tim Pigott-Smith, Roger Lloyd Pack, Alan Rickman, Ken Loach, Ralph Steadman, Ken Livingstone, Rob Montgomery, Duncan Heining, Chris Nineham, Kate Hudson, Jan Woolf, Peter Kennard, Andy de la Tour, Evan Parker, Robert Wyatt, Colin Towns, Chris Searle, Neil Yates, Steve Berry, Leo Aylen, Danny Thompson, Terry Jones, Kika Markham, Susan Wooldridge, Tony Haynes, Mike Dibb, Nic France, Leon Rosselson, Barry Miles, Liane Aukin, Alistair Beaton
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/21/remembering-war-to-promote-peace
Two of the other four letters oppose the view held in the group letter above.
Mark Golding
Judicial process is being undermined by a breed of Muslim thinkers who prefer politics and deception to create change. The fact that it gives the green light to our extra-judicial neo-con rulers to create and do massacre on an industrial scale seems to have eluded them. They are encouraging the neo=cons, who will inevitably betray them and the people they lead, to continue being extra judicial murderers. It is immensely frustrating that the leaders of the Muslims are the very ones who are causing the judicial path to fail.
Given his attachment to the historical routes of liberalism perhaps Craig might wish to explain how the Scottish Enlightenment came about after the Act of Union and how none of its major figures appeared to have argued for its revocation.
@ResidentTroll
I’ve observed no-one here rejecting the idea of democracy, but the existing democratic institutions in this country have empowered egregious war criminals, ideologues and despots such as Thatcher and Blair; in the US, their strange ‘democracy’ has resulted in self-inflicted injuries such as September 11th 2001, and open outright genodide in Central-America, south-east Asia and most recently in the Middle-East, in pursuit of oil mostly and in carrying out the agenda of the frankly insane zionist regime squatting in and terrorising that neighbourhood, for long but not much longer.
You’re not a dissident of any sort, you are just a liar, your non-dissidence takes a predictable form: deceit -of backing the powerful and wealthy in their designs, of might over right, excusing the abhorrent. That’s not dissidence, chum, that is bootlicking and toadying, in the hope of crumbs from your masters table. Hope they choke you.
We all know what democracy is, not from having it but from long yearning for it.
If we had democracy and with it justice, Blair and the rest of his cabinet, most of the then Tory opposition infact most members of parliament would have been hung, drawn and quartered.
That time draws near and you’ve chosen your side and bad company, hell mend you.
Gloomy but interesting piece in the London Review of Books. Climate change now unstoppable, what to do now?
“History shows that successful revolutions depend on two things: a charismatic leader and good publicity.”
Hitler, Stalin, Mussolini, Mao…
Yes Fred. I said “successful”. Not necessarily nice. Even Darwin, who co-led a revoltion in biological science, wasn’t very nice. And Ghandi? Oh, he was thin, so obviously a good bloke.
You do seem to have a fixation about obesity, Fred. And you appear to be on the verge of stereotyping Scots on the basis of lipid content. Glad you’ve got nothing more damning to say about them or Alex, anyway.
Ever been there, btw? I’m guessing you have, and your robust defence of the right of London to impose its rules and restrictions on Edinburgh elicited the (racist, fascist, anti-English, boohoo) predictable response – “If you don’t like it you can XXXX off.” Classic bad move. Scotland isn’t provincial England. It’s Scotland. It’s very different in ways you probably haven’t spotted…
Resident Dissident.
“…….we have fought hard for democratic institutions in this country and that if you wish to change things then you use them, but a warning for the faint hearted and lazy this is not an easy route.”
If you want to give pompous lectures to the faint hearted and lazy do you think this is the place to sound off?
And maybe you could tell me why I keep getting detention in
History class when I point out the glaring contradictions between the narrative of “don’t we have a great democracy” and the multitude of realities that tell a completely different story.
Doesn’t it take a very willfully blinkered perception to really believe the British state, and the West in general, is a force for good in our world. Why do you get so bothered when we excercise our democratic right to examine and criticise what the sham that passes for our democracy?
I could ask you a million questions but lets just look at one example. Could you give me one good reason how a true democracy could ever treat the Chagos Islanders in the way our state has consistently treated them over the years? Is refering to the people, whose your island home your government is planning to give to a war machine, as “man fridays” really the language of democrats?
Haven’t recent generations sleepwalked into letting the truly democratic achievements that our predecessors fought so hard for, be dismantled by clever crooks and pirates who pay wrap themselves up in the mantle of democratic language and values while clearly persuing an agenda of conquest and plunder?
If you can’t see that the I believe you are either thick, sick or comfortable and bought.
I’ve got stuff to do and I’m sure this will bounce off your intellectual armour plating, but really I find your defense of the indefensible is a bit unconvincing in the face of the mountains of hard evidence to the contrary.
“Scottish nationalism – which if the recent clash with UKIPs southern English nationalists is any thing to go for has already started its slide into the nastier forms of nationalism… ”
I’m afraid this has been happening for some time. Racist attacks in Scotland have risen sharply in recent years and although Asians are still the main victims more than a third were white British and the number is rising.
“Who made the decision to commemorate the start of WWI and did Agent Cameron, presumably acting on instructions to instigate the commemoration next year ”
Instructions from who? Lizards? Freemasons? WW1 started in 1914 so 2014 would seem a reasonable year for centenary commemorations.
It would not be right for the anniversary to be ignored and we’ve little idea of what has been planned so far. I know some money has been put aside to send school parties to WW1 battlefields and having visited some myself I think that can only be for the good. Many nations are running similar events and they all seem to be spending more than us. Australia has committed £72 million for example.
There does seem to be an emphasis on battles which were, or are seen as, defeats for the British. Whilst I would not like to see the events descend into triumphalism focusing on these does not provide the full picture.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p019cxf4
Radio 4 Today this morning.
Cameron: We’ll focus on big picture
Duration: 16:59
David Cameron discusses divisions within the Conservative party.
Remember World War 1 in the name of peace not war – SIGN THE LETTER 🙂
A letter in today’s Guardian (http://bit.ly/14v45Oh) launches a campaign to oppose David Cameron’s plans for commemorations of World War 1 in 2014 that stress ‘our national spirit’. Among those organising the commemorations are former generals and defence ministers.
The letter calls for a different approach to the anniversary to ensure that it is used to promote peace and international co-operation.
The campaign already has the support of Jude Law, Michael Morpurgo, Carol Ann Duffy, Anthony Gormley, Sir Patrick Stewart, Vanessa Redgrave, Simon Callow, Brian Eno, Tony Benn, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Ken Livingstone and many, many more.
The campaign, bringing together Stop the War and other anti-war groups and individuals, will involve a series of events and actions next year to underline the horror and devastation of a war that led to the death of 16 million people. It will be launched by Michael Morpurgo, Janie Dee, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Lindsey German and others outside Siegfried Sassoons’s house in Tufton Street, Westminster this morning.
We are asking all our supporters to sign the letter to ensure the highest profile for the campaign. Go to http://ww1.stopwar.org.uk and sign now.
Kempe (earlier) re Human Rights Act – thanks. Given the dystopian list of abuses this state has already attempted and which the HRA has prevented or condemned, one wonders why anyone sane would want to scrap it. UKIP do, of course.
Otherwise, the only decent revolution I can think of is the Portuguese Carnation revolution: no obvious leader.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnation_Revolution
Venzuela? Anyone got any others?
Agent Cameron has been doing his bit for the export drive.
20 May 2013
UK approved £112m of arms exports to Saudi Arabia last year
Gulf state paid British arms manufacturers almost £4bn in past four years in face of human rights concerns
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/may/20/uk-approved-arms-exports-saudi-arabia
Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf, the Saudi ambassador, with David Cameron in Riyadh in January 2012, one of two visits the prime minister made to Saudi Arabia last year. http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/About/General/2013/5/20/1369072693325/David-Cameron-in-meeting–008.jpg
I heartily second Mark Golding’s recommendation of John McMurtry’s scholarly piece.
http://www.journalof911studies.com/resources/2013McMurtryVol35Feb.pdf
O/T What lies behind this FBI killing?
The FBI in Orlando, Florida, have shot a man they were questioning about possible links to Boston bombs suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev, US media report.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-22627923
Also O/T
It’s a mercy that these protesters stopped the building of this nuclear power plant at Inola, Oklahoma in 1973.
Black Fox Nuclear Power Plant
The Black Fox Nuclear Power Plant was proposed by the Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) in May 1973. The facility was to be built approximately 3 miles southwest of downtown Inola, Oklahoma, but still within town limits, and was to consist of two 1,150 MWe General Electric (GE) Boiling Water Reactors.
In June 1979, about 500 people were arrested for protesting about construction of the Black Fox Nuclear Power Plant. In 1982, after nine years of court and legal challenges by Carrie Barefoot Dickerson and the Citizen’s Action for Safe Energy (CASE) group, all plans were abandoned and no complex was ever built. It is believed to be the only nuclear power plant in the US to be canceled by a combination of legal and citizen action after construction had started.[1][2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Fox_Nuclear_Power_Plant
~~~
Inola is 140 miles NE of Moore, Oklahoma. The path of the tornado was towards the NE.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/67727000/jpg/_67727218_moore_ok_tornado_976_3.jpg
There was a tornado in Inola a month ago which caused considerable damage.
http://www.newson6.com/story/22012228/inola-home-destroyed-in-overnight-storm
Where’s Dad when you need his grammar lessons?
Sorry , I was so steamed up I didn’t read it through so it was even more mangled than my usual offerings. Certainly worthy of a good fatherly ticking off and some clever hints I’d have thought.
Anyway Miss Entwistle is in her own little world, droning on about Jane Austen so I’ve borrowed Gary’s Galaxy here at the back of the class, to see what Resident Dissident had to say about the Chagos Islanders. He seems to have done a runner too, just when I was getting going. Those Zabolotny genes were really kicking in this morning and I’m sorry if I was boring the rest of you to de…..
Oh no I see another detention comi
Komodo and JimmyGiro;
This Hawaiian is adept at a few things along with Hawaiian specifics and global CO2 measures.
Just a sample; http://islandbreath.blogspot.ru/2013/03/genghis-khan-climate-health.html
@ April Showers 1.35 OM – “Remember World War 1 in the name of peace not war”. When I was a boy, the causes of WW1 seemed very clear to us – it was 100% Germany and the Kaiser’s fault; that’s what the propaganda of that time told us. But today it appears that none of the great powers in 1914 actually wanted a war. Unlike WW2, historians can’t even agree on what caused WW1. We had blundered into it.
But one thing is clear. Our politicians, diplomats and monarchy had failed. The State had screwed it up – getting us into an unnecessary war, and without having the means to win it. Fortunately, our then decentralized cities, towns and counties came to the rescue, raising a largely Citizen Army. At one point the life expectancy of a Citizen subaltern at the front was 10 days. Our power-elites having caused the war, these Citizens had to fight to regain the peace. A million of them died in this bloodbath and our State’s power-elites, whose failure stared this unnecessary war, dodged the issue, placing blame for the dead on the Generals.
WW1 was a defining moment in British (and Canadian) history. I will remember it and and we should remember it. But it is that gutsy Citizen Army, with its Pals Regiments, that I will remember – not the contribution of the State’s incompetent elites who, having failed to stop an unnecessary war, then went on to screw up the peace as well.
The glorification of wars, along with expansion of the territorial army, have now been complemented by the DfE, under the leadership of Gove; have now started their “free schools” program for a network of military-style state schools.
Protecting the City’s international financiers and their investments abroad on the cheap now. Obviously this too is because:immigrants wot done it. Go ask the racist fuckwits, if you don’t believe me.
Sofia
I am not defending the indefensible – and you should note that I have never made a claim that democracy results in perfect outcomes. It does however give you the ability to do something about what you perceive as its problems or its failures. Rather than resorting to nihilism or worse to argue your case, you seek to convince other people of what you are saying and you get them to vote for you or others you have convinced of your cause at the ballot box. You may consider this a frustrating process with little chance of success but as my membership of campaigns against hospital and school closures, apartheid and in solidarity with Eastern Europe all show that progress can be made.
Much as some here dislike New Labour no serious person can deny that with regard to their two main objectives of healt and education that there was no progress made in those areas during the years they were in power – I just have to look at the new schools my kids go to, or the rebuilt local hospitals, or the higher wages paid to nurses and teachers in order to know that progress has been made. I can also point to how Labour took its eye of the ball when it came to market deregulation and the City – but I am pretty confident that the consensus view on this has changed within the Party and the same mistake won’t be repeated (this is the same as saying that the Party has abandoned the mixed economy, which is of course the end objective of some of those here who still yearn for the command economy)
I’m afraid democracy can be a two steps forward one step back process but I’ve yet to find anything better – and certainly not among the regimes or ideologies that many here are all too ready to defend and whose excesses such as flying airplanes into skyscapers or suicide bombers they are prepared to consider as “self inflicted” injuries on democracies.
The reason why I get so upset about many of the statements here is not necessarily with the stated end goals but it is with the lack of indentification of any democratic means as to how those objectives will be achieved. Many here don’t understand that there are often competing arguments which also have to be respected and engaged with nor that in a democracy progress is to be made based on achieving consent rather than insulting those with whom you disagree. If they think there is a better way of achieving progress and democracy they offer precious little in terms of what they may be – and instead just offer a continuing series of links to demonstrate their loathing of their own society.
I am neither thick, sick or bought. I do have to admit to being comfortable – but perhaps that is another benefit for most of us in democratic societies – and almost certainly is the case with most commenters here, who perhaps should reflect that in Iran there are currently 131 journalists and bloggers who have been imprisoned for expressing their views (as reported in today’s Guardian) and the regime talked about annihalation (Press TVs words) of a group who worked for the Farsi service of the BBC World Service.
Cryptonym
I should think it is pretty obvious that my dissidence is to the prevailing opionions here and not to “democratic” society in which we live. And I have seen plenty here objecting to the idea of democracy and perhaps even more who fail to understand that it is not just an end in itself but should also be a means by which you seek to operate. Might I suggest that trying to reach out and achieve a consensus with those whom you disagree (as opposed to throwing childish insults), and removing those you disagree with by the ballot box, rather than hanging drawing and quartering, are signs of democracy rather than resorting to nihilsism or worse. But please try and prove me wrong and demonstrate how you would achieve change by democratic means?
“No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms that have been tried from time to time.” Winston Churchill House of Commons on 11 November 1947
(I’m sure Sophie’s dad and history teacher would approve)