Cont.
This is supposed to be Democracy. Not really, but close enough I guess. In a Socialist Society the Party comes up with the Policy then the people vote for a representative to carry out that Policy. If you don't agree then you will just, disappear. Sort of what the ALP & the Greens want to implement.

Most people would be amazed at how little most members of political parties actually know about...well, anything. But it becomes very obvious when you see some of the proposals that are put forward in relation to what governments "ought", "should" and "must" do. Fervent desires don't always translate into good policy.

Many of those proposals would be political death if acted upon.

"Democracy" has many definitions. Not many of them are practical. And not many people can actually function democratically because they have little or no information on which to base rational opinions - they lack what the American academic Robert Weissberg calls "civic competence".

Weissberg wrote a thought-provoking book about this, published in 2002: Polling, Policy and Public Opinion: The Case Against Heeding the "Voice of the People". That book sold for $114 in Australia when released; fortunately, I found a copy on sale for $12 and it has been one of my best investments.

There is also an article which summarises the key points:
http://www.uvm.edu/~dguber/POLS234/articles/weissberg.pdf

Unfortunately, Mr Bowden's article is not in Professor Weissberg's league.

Jayb...

**Are Australians disenchanted with democracy?

(This paper was presented as a lecture in the Senate Occasional Lecture Series at Parliament House, Canberra, on 7 March 2014).**

http://www.aph.gov.au/~/~/link.aspx?_id=01FD7901F7E14E9A86A44F9C217BFEC6&_z=z

True democracy doesn't have elected representives.