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April 16, 2009
Despots and Democracy
Prior to the 'Glorious Revolution' of 1688, the presumption of all countries around the world was that the only efficient way to govern a country was for a powerful single voice to wield power and rule with strength.
Civil War and overthrow of the dominant monarchy, replaced by a Cromwellian Protected Parliament and the subsequent restoration of the king, had upset, but not replaced the idea in England of single authority.
1688, and the death of King James ll changed that. Citizens who discussed and contributed their views to the new press and the evolving Parliament created a new idea of democracy that was genuinely based on debate, lobbying, opinion and language. Britain became unique in the world in leading this movement. Despotic behaviour and cruel domination still occurred, obtaining its power from wealth or inheritance, or evil or even government's own authority, but we have come over the years to root out such behaviour and to hold it in common contempt
In this spriit Perkin's attention was drawn to this minute in the record of the board meeting of the MLA last Novemnber, in which there is first toadying obsequiousness to the MP who had criticised their ineffectual behaviour, and then moved on to issue threats against decent humble folk who express their concerns for public libraries.
"Andrew Motion outlined the constructive meeting he and Roy Clare had with Lyn Brown MP, and looked forward to her follow up visit to the MLA’s Birmingham offices in January. Andrew Motion admired Lyn Brown’s passionate support for libraries, and while the MLA might differ with her on some issues he felt there was scope to reduce any misunderstandings and find some common ground. The same could not always be said for some of the sector’s most vociferous self-appointed critics, and the MLA was keen not to give a platform to those without a constructive agenda."
Bullies.
Self appointed critics in this country will always seek their own platforms and argue their case by force of language and not be suppressed by noxious departments of the State.
A better approach would be to seek out and listen to these people who have given freely of time and effort in order to understand what they are saying and recognise their concerns. That is the way our cherished democracy works. Even a poet should be able to understand that.
Posted by Perkins at April 16, 2009 6:55 PM