SIR: At each election we vote for individuals to represent us in Parliament. These individuals, however, do not represent us. Instead they only represent the political party to which they belong. Consequently, we only have a form of pseudo-democracy. The electorate, the people, have no redress, no opportunity, to vote on actual issues. In effect, the people are dis-enfranchased.
Political parties cannot represent the people because they do not believe in democracy. Take for example their use of the party Whip in parliament. What could be more undemocratic? The use of the line-whip system kills freedom of expression. Any MP who is moved by conscience or constituency to vote against his party is threatened. Such a system can only produce a breed of career-orientated party functionaries. That is bad for democracy. As citizens committed to genuine democracy, we must demand that the antiquated representative system is supplemented and eventually superseded by a system of direct democracy, in which the people can govern themselves by regular plebiscite.
Anthony Makara
Broadwalk
Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article