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DIRECT DEMOCRACY |
| Abolition of the party political system through Direct Democracy and Consultative Referendum. |
The party political system is divisive and not a true democracy since all parties have the primary objective to maintain the status quo of privilege and control by the ruling elites. What we need is a system where independent MPs represent their constituents in a true parliamentary democracy.
Political parties in the current system are simply different flavours of the same dessert. It is a modern version of the enduring system of feudalism that makes people think that by voting in an election it gives them democratic representation. This is unfortunately not the case. In reality, a party is elected on the basis of their false promises, allowing them to pretty much do what they want without policy mandates for the following 4 to 5 years during their term in office. When the next election comes around, people are so fed up with betrayal and a succession of broken promises that they vote in the opposition party in the genuine hope that things will change. The opposition party, once in government commences the same policies of self-interest and betrayal, albeit disguised under the cover of a different political philosophy.
The first step is to get rid of the party political system. In our current parliamentary democracy, that would mean electing a party that promised to do away with party politics, meaning their existence would be there only to serve notice of it’s own extinction – it is highly unlikely that any mainstream party would make this the centre-piece of their manifesto. So, how else can we do this?
We need to field independent candidates that once elected to parliament, remove any parliamentary majority of any individual party or coalition of parties. This would finally put a parliamentary majority of independents that truly supports the electoral wishes. Once we have this majority of independent MPs in parliament, they must then abolish the party political system and ban any political affiliation by candidates and elected MPs with any political or commercial organisations. Lobbying of any kind must be outlawed – there can be zero tolerance of any form of buying political favour.
The second most important step would be the implementation of a written constitution and a rewrite of civil law based on contractual and common law.
Once these two steps have been implemented, the role of parliamentary representatives (MPs) would primarily be to propose policy, projects and budgets – that’s it! Policy proposals would come from their own ideas and from the general public through petitions. In the case of petitions, they would need to gain public support over a specified threshold prior to becoming the basis of a policy proposal. Policy proposals would then be clarified, refined and formalised by MPs prior to being put out to referendum. Policy proposals can only become government policy with the consent of the electorate. Once proposals obtain electoral support, they would then be transformed into policy declarations - projects with budgets. Projects, associated budgets and implications would then again be put to the electorate.
This is the basis on which a new system of Direct Ddemocracy through Consultative Referendum would be built. The lower house formulates policy and law, whereas the upper house gives critical review that is passed back to the lower house for refinement and approval - not so different to the current system. However, the upper house (the House of Lords) needs to be reformed with the current system of appointed representatives being replaced by a system by which members of the lower house (independent MPs) vote the members of the upper house. Members of the upper house would thereafter be indirecttly selected by the electorate and not by some arbitrary system of selection based on privilege and vested interest. Length of duty in the upper house would then be time limited like any government with a new vote carried out every 4 or 5 years. Members of the upper house should not serve more than two terms in office. |
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The most important reforms are described with full details of policy and financing in the section [ principles of change | A MANIFESTO FOR CHANGE ]. These reforms are absolutely necessary to initiate positive reform of our political systems. Policy in all areas of state involvement needs urgent attention but must be part of an ongoing process of consensual change through a system of direct democracy and consultative referendum.
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We are NOT a political party
but a movement for social economic reform. We want to help restore
democracy in Europe and put public money and political power back in
the hands of all citizens. We want an economy that works for
the people and not for the ruling elite. Simply
spread the word to become part of the movement and together we can
be the catalyst for change.
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| live 2b3
...and help build a better world.
A social economic model for sustainable living in a people and resource based society
- it's time for change.
Written by: Michael Livingston Seagull |
| info@live2b3.org |
http://www.live2b3.org |
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