I wholeheartedly agree with the above statement. Referendums, although a means for citizens to vote democratically on certain issues, are a double-edged sword. Margaret Thatcher once described referendums as “a device of dictators and demagogues”, as they tend to be a preferred means of political expediency by populists. Referendums boil down complex issues and themes to a simple “yes” or “no” vote, without providing room for compromise. An example is the Brexit referendum, which was very badly initiated and implemented. The British public was given the choice of a “yes” or “no” vote, without even being provided with the facts to attain a basic understanding of what it means to exit the EU. The referendum merely came across as a “for” or “against” vote regarding the current government and not about the extremely complex issue of exiting the European Union, with all its procedures and potentially substantial complications. However, I do believe referendums play an important part in democracy, but not on such complex issues, which involve the whole country and its economic future and world standing. Referendums have their benefits on the local and also possibly on the state level of politics, but on multifaceted and consequential issues the parliamentary democracy should prevail.
Source: “Herding Cats.” The Economist 17 October <http://www.economist.com/news/special-report/21673504-referendum-results-are-notoriously-unpredictable-herding-cats>.
I wholeheartedly agree with the above statement. Referendums, although a means for citizens to vote democratically on certain issues, are a double-edged sword. Margaret Thatcher once described referendums as “a device of dictators and demagogues (”,) [P,St - ^ ,"] as they tend to be a preferred means of political expediency by populists. Referendums boil down complex issues and themes to a simple “yes” or “no” vote, without providing room for compromise. An example is the Brexit referendum, which was very badly initiated and implemented. The British public was given the choice of a “yes” or “no” vote, without even being provided with the facts (to attain a basic understanding) [E,W+-what you've written is clear, but not collocative - ^ that might afford it a better grasp]> of what it means to exit the EU. The referendum merely came across as a “for” or “against” vote regarding the current government and not about the extremely complex issue of exiting the European Union, with all its procedures and potentially substantial complications. (However,) [foc,W - ^ Although] I do believe referendums play an important part in democracy, (but not) [W*,E,doc,coh - ^ I do not think they should be made binding when they bear] on such complex issues, which involve the whole country and its economic future and world standing. Referendums have their benefits on the local and also possibly on the state level of politics, but on multifaceted and (consequential) [W - Are state and local issues not consequential? - ^ fundamental] issues the parliamentary democracy should prevail.
ReplyDeleteSource: “Herding Cats.” The Economist 17 October .
I wholeheartedly agree with the above statement. Referendums, although a means for citizens to vote democratically on certain issues, are a double-edged sword. Margaret Thatcher once described referendums as “a device of dictators and demagogues," as they tend to be a preferred means of political expediency by populists. Referendums boil down complex issues and themes to a simple “yes” or “no” vote, without providing room for compromise. An example is the Brexit referendum, which was very badly initiated and implemented. The British public was given the choice of a “yes” or “no” vote, without even being provided with the facts to attain a basic understanding of what it means to exit the EU. The referendum merely came across as a “for” or “against” vote regarding the current government and not about the extremely complex issue of exiting the European Union, with all its procedures and potentially substantial complications. Although I do believe referendums play an important part in democracy, I do not think they should be made binding when they bear on such complex issues, which involve the whole country and its economic future and world standing. Referendums have their benefits on the local and also possibly on the state level of politics, but on multifaceted and fundamental issues the parliamentary democracy should prevail.
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