Alternative Democratic Ideas
George Monbiot explores citizens assemblies and other alterative ways to improve democracies
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
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
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.
Britain’s claims to being a functioning democracy are only skin deep
Britain’s democratic processes are being abused
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.
2nd August 2019
Strongman politics
Obama on the politics of fear and disinformation
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
30th March 2018