Worldwide there has been a fearful shift away from democracy and a shift to (mostly) right wing extremism.
While Trump flirts with authoritarianism, the USA has become more tribal and struggles to even communicate with an agreed upon language or set of facts.
In Europe the situation isn’t good either. In most countries the extreme left and right are growing, with the middle shrinking to levels where they risk losing power.
What on earth is going on?
Economically, many years of globalism and catering to vested interests has resulted in a massive accumulation of wealth by the richest few in society.
Socially, the left wing of politics has pushed its social agenda through the law and institutions such that people with conservative social views have felt increasingly excluded from society.
Economically, people have seen that the mainstream political parties have failed to ensure that a working class job provides a reasonable standard of living and people.
Socially, society has also split in two as those with conservative social views have turned against the institutions that have been weaponised against them. Language has changed, become hostile, and the left and right struggle to communicate with each other.
Democracy has not addressed the concerns of voters and voters are beginning to turn against democracy.
Democracy is not solving Australia’s problems either
Australia faces a cost of living crisis, a housing crisis that will cause a baby bust for a generation, and an increasing tribalism and winner-take-all approach from our far left and right.
These issues have existed for years and yet our democracy has not even started to substantially address them.
Why not?
Vested interest, short sightedness, and politicians focussing on reelection rather than the good of the nation. It’s not because the solutions take years to impact, it’s because they haven’t been implemented and the Government does not want to implement them, though they pretend.
On housing, both parties want high house prices because 65% of voters own a home and they don’t want to be kicked out if they drop.
On the cost of living, the government won’t act to reduce inflation because it would involve painful vote-losing cuts, stopping free money handouts, and reducing the ludicrous size of our mortgage debt to allow interest rates to be raised.
On tribalism, our politicians are too interested in short term political gain and too afraid of those with dogmatic ideological commitments. We need politicians promoting a vision where our tribes seek to coexist in society rather than seeking to dominate it.
Vested interests, short-sightedness, and a focus on reelection are sabotaging the long-term good of the nation.
Democracy needs to solve our problems and it isn’t.
We demand better.
The only way for this to change is for YOU to demand better.
You can do this in any political party, but we invite you to do it through our party.
Join us in our fight for the Common Good and a better world.