Draft by Richard Stimson

Stimson’s comments on James Hall’s draft of Political Systems

James Hall’s summary certainly reads very well and covers most of what would seem to be needed in political reform. There is very little that I could personally disagree with. Although it has been suggested that we should be working to produce a "how-to" book, I find the tone a bit too preachy for my taste.

Are some things missing? What about autonomy of groups within nations that want self-government? What about limits on world government to preclude creation of a global tyranny? I wonder how much of the draft is thought to be agreed by all, or substantially all, of the list—I suppose we’ll find out from comments on the list. Without having anything like total recall, I have the feeling that some suggestions made in the past may not have been included—reminders will probably come from the list too.

Specific comments

Instead of "vote often" I think "vote at every opportunity" is less likely to be misunderstood.

"A free press, whether publicly or privately owned" raises a question. If there is no press independent of the government, can it be free? Yes, I know the BBC for most of its existence has enjoyed considerable autonomy and has often embarrassed British officialdom, but that sort of freedom can’t be relied upon.

"Democratic regulation of all private use of the "public commons", including parkland owned by government, air and water, or other things owned in common, requiring that private individuals or corporations using them pay for that use, take care of them, and leave them in as good or better condition than before". – This could be better worded. I’m sure you don’t mean that each of us must pay for using the air we breathe (and avoid exhaling CO2), for example.

Watch it! "Living a moral life" doesn’t mean the same thing to everybody.

 

 

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It has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except all the others that have been tried.

Sir Winston Churchill (1874 - 1965)

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