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Alternative Democratic Ideas

George Monbiot explores citizens assemblies and other alterative ways to improve democracies

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jun/06/general-elections-democracy-lottery-representation

6th June 2024

The problem with the British democratic process

Rory Stewart explains the problem of ministerial control

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jun/03/rory-stewart-why-i-quit-mp-government

3rd June 2024

The Labour party is playing it too safe

Labour has backed off from its best proposals

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/feb/11/keir-starmer-labour-party-british-democracy

11th February 2024

We live in a plutocracy

George Monbiot laments the power of the ultra-rich

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/15/tragedy-modern-britain-piers-morgan-playbook

15th September 2023

The Power of Lobbies

George Monbiot points out the dangers of appeasing established power

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/08/rspb-ministers-wildlife-charity-power-britain

8th September 2023

Human Rights

2 essays on human rights from Humanistically Speaking

https://www.humanisticallyspeaking.org/post/what-s-wrong-with-human-rights

https://www.humanisticallyspeaking.org/post/am-i-a-citizen-of-the-world

12th Feb 2023

A Rant against our Political System

The Tories bleat endlessly about freedom. But the only freedom they respect is the freedom of the rich and powerful to treat other people as commodities and the living planet as their dustbin. Democracy in this country was only ever skin-deep, our power and personhood delegated to a pantomime performed by 650 people in central London, few of whom are permitted to speak their minds.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/18/freedoms-controlling-coercive-behaviour

22th Jan 2023

The USA is a Rogue State

George Monbiot points out how little Americans apparently car about others

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/dec/09/us-world-climate-collapse-nations

9th Dec 2022

Our Political System is run by big Money

How Political Interest groups are funded

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/feb/17/lobbying-fears-as-mps-interest-groups-receive-13m-from-private-firms

17th February 2021

Labour’s lost voters clamour for belonging

Nationalism is the natural home for communities that have lost their sense of belonging

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/may/03/labours-lost-voters-clamour-belonging

3rd May 2021

Covid misinformation costs lives

George Monbiot argues that we have a duty to stop pernicious misinformation

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/27/covid-lies-cost-lives-right-clamp-down-misinformation

27th January 2021

Politician’s love giving pledges for actions years in advance; it gives them the opportunity to look dynamic and ambitious  without the responsibility of achievement.

Of the 20 pledges at the UN Biodiversity conference at Nagoya, not one has been met.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/sep/30/johnson-pledges-environment-un-biodiversity-summit

Britain’s claims to being a functioning democracy are only skin deep

Britain’s democratic processes are being abused

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/jun/03/britain-democracy-tories-coronavirus-public-power

3rd June 2020

Local Politics

We need to revive community spirit and it starts with politics and finance

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/aug/02/britain-local-councils-public-services

3rd August 2019

Optimism

Optimism can’t solve Britains’ problems; it can only disappoint.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jul/24/boris-johnson-optimism-sales-pitch-only-disappoint

2nd August 2019

Strongman politics

Obama on the politics of fear and disinformation

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jul/17/obama-criticises-strongman-politics-coded-attack-trump

18th July 2018

Trump creates his caliphate

The misuse of piety in justifying the unjustifiable

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jun/18/trump-american-caliphate-democracy-arab-world

18th June 2018

Hundreds of pledges quietly forgotten

On how ‘consultation’ is used to get politicians off the hook

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hundreds-of-government-pledges-the-tories-have-quietly-forgotten-6kwt879bg

30th March 2018