None of the Above |
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| Author:
| Efford, Charles |
| ISBN: | 978-1-4120-4534-6 |
| Publication Date: | Mar 2005 |
| Publisher: | Trafford Publishing
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| Book Format: | Paperback |
| List Price: | USD $16.68 |
Book Description:
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None of the Above challenges the validity and legitimacy of modern political parties and politicians as providers of government. It provides a selective alternative to party electoral politics, which will eliminate the need for politicians to get themselves elected by using deceptive and deceitful behaviour.
The book reflects the current public mood of dissatisfaction with politics and politicians. It analyses the incentives that act upon politicians, and infers...
More Description
None of the Above challenges the validity and legitimacy of modern political parties and politicians as providers of government. It provides a selective alternative to party electoral politics, which will eliminate the need for politicians to get themselves elected by using deceptive and deceitful behaviour.
The book reflects the current public mood of dissatisfaction with politics and politicians. It analyses the incentives that act upon politicians, and infers that the behaviour, which is repelling electorates, is chronic and structural. There is no cure as long as governments are elected; because the imperative placed on politicians is not serving the national interest; it is winning elections, which are two different things.
It analyses the very many shortcomings of the present system and considers proportional representation and direct referenda as alternatives. It concludes that it is impossible to use an electoral system, as long as the information, required to make informed decisions is selectively reported through the distorting lens of the media. It proposes that we should dispense with elections, and elected politicians, as the means of choosing a government.
It further proposes a selective democracy, where people are selected at random from the electoral roll, on a regional basis, to serve for a single five-year term. The existing Parliamentary Select Committee system will be expanded to include the formation of policy, taking this power away from: the party, the cabinet and the Prime Minister. To force politicians to bring change, it is proposes that voters remove the legitimacy of elected politicians by denying them their support and reducing the vote to an unviable level. They are asked to register their rejection of electoral politics by writing 'None of The Above.' on the ballot paper.