One party dictatorship and our fleeting Parliamentary democracy
There’s a semi-famous paper written by Stephen Harper and Tom Flanagan when they were younger floating around the progressive pointing out, quite eloquently and accurately describing one of the biggest issues facing Parliament in our time. Take a gander at Our Benign Dictatorship, here’s a quote:
Only in politics do we still entrust power to a single faction expected to prevail every time over the opposition by sheer force of numbers. Even more anachronistically, we persist in the governing team like a military regiment under a single commander with almost total power to appoint, discipline and expel subordinates.
Preach.
But, there’s more! Digging through the quote database, Harper has some more well-said denouncements of the legislative dictatorship.
In the Liberal Party they’re like a bully. Everyday they kick you in the groin and the first time you take a poke at them they start bawling their eyes out like little children.
21/09/1995
They [opposition parties, including Reform] aren’t interested in the appearance of co-operation. Each is, in effect, a one party dictatorship.
31/03/1997
I have little time for MP tales of woe. Why are MPs so supine? You might as well ask why cows are so passive. They are bred that way.
16/04/2001
Anybody who has seriously studied the parliamentary system knows that the House of Commons has long seized to be a serious legislative body. It is first to maintain the electoral college of the incumbent Prime Minister and second a debating forum for partisan alternatives to the current dictators.
08/01/1997
I particularly like the last two quotes, they’re completely accurate. Completely.
I, of course, don’t need to point out the abject hypocrisy.
