Join the new world

Foreword - As a long departed citizen starting anew, I cannot claim to have special insight into the current state of the world or the situation in the events of the UK, lamentably broken as it is. As such, I do not intend to report or lecture on such things, and will instead use this newspaper simply to offer quotations, references and such that those who are interested might find some new information or viewpoint to think about. I also make no claims to be wholly objective, despite my efforts to maintain impartiality. and so any such information should be addressed with the knowledge that its publisher has a distinct left-wing bias.

Theme: Representative Democracy

"The people flatter themselves that they have the sovereign power. These are, in fact, words without meaning. It is true they elected governors; but how are these elections brought about? In every instance of election by the mass of a people—through the influence of those governors themselves, and by means the most opposite to a free and disinterested choice, by the basest corruption and bribery. But those governors once selected, where is the boasted freedom of the people? They must submit to their rule and control, with the same abandonment of their natural liberty, the freedom of their will, and the command of their actions, as if they were under the rule of a monarch"

- Alexander Fraser Tytler, Lord Woodhouselee


"Representative democracy betrays the electorate when laws have no roots in the people but in oligarchies."

- Alfred-Maurice de Zayas


"...his unbiased opinion, his mature judgment, his enlightened conscience, he ought not to sacrifice to you, to any man, or to any set of men living. ... Your representative owes you, not his industry only, but his judgment; and he betrays, instead of serving you, if he sacrifices it to your opinion"

- Edmund Burke, (on the question of whether MPs should obey the commands of their electorate, or act for the electorate's greater good based on their own judgement)