Democracy?

I believe in democracy. Really I do. I believe that everyone should have a say in how things are done. At least I thought I did. In a couple of weeks’ time we are supposed to turn out to vote for a Police Commissioner. That means the man (I say man, but of course it could be woman, it’s just easier!)  in charge of crime in my area will be there, not because he knows anything about crime, but because, probably with the help of one of the political parties, he has managed to convince the majority of people that he will ‘do something’ about whatever is the latest popular cause. Come re-election time his priority will be to get re-elected again, not look to the long-term safety of the area. After all, if he loses he is out of a job. There is no incentive to look to the long term. If he does lose, any problems are the province of whoever had the temerity to beat him. If he wins he will have plenty of time before the next election to put in place ‘populist’ measures. The electorate has such a short collective memory after all.

Democracy is relatively easy in a small, static, population.  Everyone knows everyone else, or at least knows who everybody is. Personally, not through ‘the media’. This makes choosing between candidates so much easier. Of course it also makes bribery easier too! But at least a voter is more likely to vote for the man, rather than the Party, resulting in a representative who is more interested in doing what is best for his local electorate rather than pleasing his party bosses. When the population rises, and becomes much more mobile, this local connection is lost. Party becomes the reason for most people to cast their vote, and the candidates become connected instead to the party machine. The party then becomes obsessed with winning the next election, and the priority is the ‘short term’ popular fix, not the long term good. Politics becomes a career path (how many MP’s actually had a ‘proper job’ outside politics?) rather than a calling to represent the electorate who put them in their very lucrative job. You only have to remember the recent expenses scandals to understand quite how lucrative. In the modern era it is more important to look good on TV rather than actually have any great degree of knowledge or true talent.

I am not sure how the problems of Parliament can be addressed, I am not clever enough. But I can take issue with the idea of elected Police Commissioners. It was not all that long ago that the electorate dismissed out of hand the idea of directly elected mayors. That must have sent a message to the Government because there was no referendum on Police Commissioners. Perhaps they knew they would lose? I have seen a lot of letters in newspapers from people who disagree with the idea so much they do not intend to vote. This is a mistake. The turnout will probably be dismal anyway and this will reduce the figures even more. What I intend to do is turn up at the polling station and write ‘none of the above’ on my voting slip. I still do believe in democracy, just not for everything. If an MP is really bad at his job there are enough of them to counteract his mistakes. A Police Commissioner is on his own, in a job where his credentials are political rather than related to police work, and his decisions, taken politically, can have dire effects. No thanks.