Our present and future generally become easier to understand, and therefore accept, if you consider history.
So, for example those seeking ‘instant’ changes to our system of governance, need to realise that such changes take time and need to be fought for. It is in considering the above that I want to cover two points this week.
First, I came to the conclusion a while back that the radical reforms to our governance we seek, through our six demands, will take years to achieve and possibly even generations.
At one point I thought that modern communications would greatly assist to promote our cause but I’m now certain we need more than the internet to achieve our aims.
Since our conception, in 2012, I have often pointed out how long it took for the Chartists to get five of their six demands enacted. The first demand to become law took 20 years and the fifth 73. However, recently I realised that many of the demands of the Chartists were actually held by the Levellers, a political movement during the English Civil War 1642-1651.
So, if you factor this into the timescale one could justifiably argue that the Chartists reforms took 269 years to become law or around 10 generations – thus proving the old saying ‘that a good idea never dies.’
My second point follows on from the observation above that about 10 generations passed before the Levellers political reforms became a reality as this period of time is the same that Sir John ‘Pasha’ Glubb analysed in his essay, The Fate of Empires’, that it takes for a nation to rise, plateau and decline.
Pasha Glubb’s analysis sets out the six stages nations go through from, Pioneers, Conquest, Commerce, Affluence, Intellect and finally Decadence. For each stage he explains why they happen and the reasons nations progress through each stage. What I find fascinating is that throughout history, regardless of the era, the reasons and symptoms for a nation’s eventual decline are the same and by his analysis we are currently well into the age of Decadence.
The relevance to our agenda is that the ‘People’, who have to demand the changes as political parties won’t enact them without pressure, are rather preoccupied in just trying to survive and for the time being, any questions about restoring their inherent sovereignty, electing their PM and Separation of Power or the ability to stop government legislation they disagree with, are not at the forefront of their minds.
Link to Glubb’s essay is here - http://people.uncw.edu/kozloffm/glubb.pdf?
In conclusion, history proves that radical political reform takes time and will certainly not be helped by our country being in decline which produces poor quality leaders and currently a largely docile materialistic people. However, I’m confident that our agenda is a good idea and like all good ideas is the most resilient parasite for once it takes hold of the brain it’s impossible to eradicate.
Our six demands will happen, when the people finally wake up, it is only when that will happen that is in doubt!
If you look around the world and at history, man’s natural state is tribalism which, if left will grow repressive empires, IMO. British history is unusual. It’s culture stems from Alfred the Great’s Law code which put the rights of the individual high up the priority list. Those rights, the individual over the state or even empire (or over the tribal chief) have been the basis of a constant battle ever since. Ie Magna Carta, Glorious Revolution, 1835 Reforms, WW I & II, EU Empire. I see the Chartists demands and THA as just a continuation of that battle against the centralisation of power.
ReplyDeleteThe big changes happened when the threat loomed very real in people’s minds or they were desperate. As you state, most people ”are rather preoccupied in just trying to survive” at the moment, but things have a habit of changing very fast. The money speculators are looking very nervous at the moment, and for good reason. Is economic collapse just around the corner? At the moment Isaiah's prediction seems to be right: " What good are they? I will make boys their leaders, and toddlers their rulers." The people will be looking for different but instant leadership and might look in the wrong direction.
Well done for keeping THA alive but you know that I feel it needs to be ready to jump in.
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ReplyDeleteThe issue to grasp is that any jumping needed, which there definately will be, has to be done by the 'PEOPLE'. THA's basic principles are, as you know, set out in our six demands and the key, on which all the others hang, is that the people must regain their inherent sovereignty. Unless and until ultimate power resides with the people we do not have real democracy.
ReplyDeletePasha Glubb's series is not a cycle, then. The final phase, decadence, reminds me of ancient Rome. Where is it now? Or of 1930s Germany and we know what happened there. It seems to me that the people are either "too comfortable" or "preoccupied with trying to survive". Either of these will always be so. Isaiah's prediction mentioned above may be what we are now seeing. What prevents the people choosing a Hitler rather than political reform?
ReplyDeleteThat's my worry. History shows that people are quick to flock to someone who seems to offer a way out of a catastrophe, ie Hitler offering restored national pride rather than analysing a situation and adopting some good idea floating out there.
DeleteThe plebeians were happy with "Bread and Circuses" while moral corruption ran unchecked and the inevitable happened to Rome.
Either way, any chance of real democracy withered and died.
You are right the future is in the People's hands and we must strive and hope that political reform sees off a dictator.
DeleteWe now have a lot of history to take into account and must trust that sense will prevail. Furthermore our continued decline, while seeing a lowering of our standard of living will not be on a scale of previous dclines - people will have their TVs,moblies and central heating.