Exactly. And couldn't the same thing be levelled at the recent election? In the sense that whatever anyone said, however idiotic, bigoted or ignorant, had to be taken seriously by politicians. Not simply out of some slightly misplaced sense of respect for the electorate, but because if someone expresses a concern (immigration, knife crime etc.) then that concern must be legitimate. Because to say, as Gordon Brown did in private, that no, you're wrong, your concern is based on irrational paranoia driven by media exageration, would be to appear, elitist and arrogant.
The 2010 election was characterised by a thoroughly contemporary suspicion of any form of expertise (in this case politicians) and a populist certainty in the relevance of anybody's opinion, however deluded. This is why I can't accept the disenchantment with the two party system as particularly positive. It stems from a combination of "they're all as bad as each other" faux-cynicism with a blind faith in personal freedom denuded of all political or ideological conviction. It's also why the current Labour leadership campaign is so dispiriting, with its assumption that Labour lost because it didn't listen to the 'man on the street'.* Even if the man on the street was talking total crap his fears must now shape the future of political debate.
The powerful convergence of the language of libertarianism, individual rights and consumerism has entirely drowned out rational debate and analysis.
* And this despite the coherent and successful campaign against the BNP in Barking.
The 2010 election was characterised by a thoroughly contemporary suspicion of any form of expertise (in this case politicians) and a populist certainty in the relevance of anybody's opinion, however deluded. This is why I can't accept the disenchantment with the two party system as particularly positive. It stems from a combination of "they're all as bad as each other" faux-cynicism with a blind faith in personal freedom denuded of all political or ideological conviction. It's also why the current Labour leadership campaign is so dispiriting, with its assumption that Labour lost because it didn't listen to the 'man on the street'.* Even if the man on the street was talking total crap his fears must now shape the future of political debate.
The powerful convergence of the language of libertarianism, individual rights and consumerism has entirely drowned out rational debate and analysis.
* And this despite the coherent and successful campaign against the BNP in Barking.
