As we go
into 2013, it is likely that there will be a long drawn out period when it will
be the coming elections that will dominate the thinking, if you can call it
that, of the government and all those connected with it.
One serious
problem, to which scant publicity or attention has been given at any level is
the growing shambles and unreliable mess of our electoral system and it seems
to be getting worse.
Work has
been done recently but will the effort to address the issues be made in time?
Typically,
there is now in the UK
a raft of laws, regulations and guidance which has gone past the point of
understanding of those who are in charge of the administration of
elections.
This can
impact both on the possible results and the danger of an electorate that
distrusts and begins to avoid voting. If
this happens then any democracy we have left becomes deformed and even more
limited in influence.
One very
worrying feature is that many of those who have run elections in the past and
have a body of experience and knowledge are leaving in numbers. Those who take over are faced with a system
that is almost incomprehensible.
Yet we are
all talking about “localism” and referenda and direct electing of key officials
and the rest. It might be better if we
concentrated first on making sure the electoral system is functioning properly,
reliable and understandable by the mass of the electorate.
The longer,
but quite short, article on the subject is:
Why is it
that so much is descending into chaos? What
can happen if a population loses confidence both in the system and those at the
top? See the picture above.
"Why is it that so much is descending into chaos?"
ReplyDeleteTrying to run everything from the centre - it never works.