The main risk to Britain, and many other countries, indeed the world at large, is not the economic downturn, per se, or hard times, or difficulties that need facing, but a very damaging perception that our leaders, both politically, economically and socially, are out of step with the thinking of the citizenship or the reality of our times. In other words, there is an increasingly large and gaping political vacuum. This seems to be a recurring theme in all great political and social revolutions, and it is natural, those at the top got there by their commitment and ability to use, or misuse, the status quo, the generally accepted common thinking of the times. The assumptions and philosophies that got them to their position are deeply ingrained. Not only have these people got a lot to lose in wealth and prestige by a change in these philosophies, even more importantly they are deeply ingrained in their psyche, amounting to a huge emotional, intellectual and ethical inertia. We see the same in arguments about global warming and other environmental issues. As always, it is those at the bottom that are in much greater contact with reality.
This is a very dangerous time, as I and others have been concerned about for some years. Dealing with our present economic downturn requires a fundamental rethink of globalisation, the monetarist and demand economy and perpetual economic growth. It requires a fundamental rethink of the state's role in our lives and how the state actually works, and about fairness and equity in societies. It requires a fundamental rethink of how, in this age of abundant communcations, we can reorganise our society into a more truly democratic and articulate form of governance. None of these urgent needs are being examined, anywhere. And of course, the media, as this site is set up to examine, is highly complicit, being as they are now are, highly anti-democratic. Not by actively undermining the state, far from it, but by actively undermining dissent and discussion of our fast changing situation. It was this lack of discussion and accountability that got us into this mess in the first place.
All the trillions of dollars and pounds and Euros being given to stimulate the economy is absurd - the economy is moribund and will never be resuscitated to its former self. Thank goodness. But there is nothing to replace it. Barrack Obama, for all his well-meaning and relatively liberal views, doesn't seem to understand this, but then neither do the others.
The media discuss the matter of politics as whether or not Labour might squeeze in the next election. That's absurd, the question might need to be will we be lucky enough to have an election at all? Or at least, what's the point in the election when all the parties competing stand for very much the same status quo, with a few frills and furbelows to distinguish them. None of them can lead us, as they are presently, out of this mess, because they were the ones that got us here. They don't understand this, when have you heard any mea culpas from the Labour leadership, or the leadership anywhere in the world.
I think the UK is very vulnerable, I have posted about the Anglo-Saxon Syndrome at various times, but all countries are going to have face a severe trial, a real test of social cohesiveness and community spirit. I don't write off the UK, Brits often underestimate themselves, but I see no quality of leadership yet that gives me hope, and if this leadership is to arise in the UK, and elsewhere, they're leaving it to mighty late in the day to make an appearance.
Another 'take' on the choice of Tory or Labour being nearly indestinguishable, is made by Craig Murray today in his blog, commenting on the protests in London. He points out the the demonisation of protest, which he describes so well, is another way of sidelining other points of view, perfectly valid, indeed very much needed, points of view, so the political choice remains constrained between Conservative and Labour, who hardly differ at all. Demonising the protesters demonises the left, trade unionists, environmentalists and all the ordinary men and women who are just thoroughly fed up with the status quo. It is highly damaging to democracy because it is the protesters that are up with the state of play, and it is the status quo that is becoming increasingly anachronistic and irrelevant. The status quo, if they see themselves to be under threat this way, will react aggressively and intemperately and anger in this situation quickly builds. The police will ever more be required to defend the status quo, and will likely have to be ever more reactionary in doing so. The status quo has to yield, because that is the nature of the times we live in, it will either do so decorously and benignly, but much more likely is that it won't yield other than by force.