As a fairly middle of the road person who believes in the concept of a social democracy, I find myself less and less represented by our system of representative democracy. The ALP has moved too far from its working class roots and the Liberals have moved too far from representing small business and the interests of fair competition.

Both major parties have got too tied in with corporate self interest, globalism and free trade market ideology, both becoming temporary socialists when corporations need to be bailed out from the public purse. This shift in ideology has impacted on many decisions including invasion of Iraq, refugees and the environment just for starters.

The Australian Democrats offered a glimmer of light in keeping the Bs honest from the 70s until their recent and untimely demise. The Greens have gained strength because of overwhelming disillusion with the two major parties, but many see the Greens as a one-issue party.

The feel from the general public is they hate to see public assets sold off and prefer especially essential services in the hands of the people, not foreign corporations. In the past both Liberal and Labor Governments adopted a public ownership stance and it was certainly never seen as part of some left-wing conspiracy.

Why have we moved so far towards big business interests to the detriment in some cases to other important community and smaller business interests?

Have we become too consumed with consumerism and the concept of the individual? Have we lost interest in the idea of collective interests – where wellbeing is not measured only by GDP but by social indicators? Is it that large corporations have grown out of proportion to all other influences so wield more power in politics?

Where have the moderates all gone? Why have we moved so far away from the middle ground over the last 30 years?

Does anyone have any ideas? I am not after a hostile discussion about Right and Left ideology just some historical context for the change

I have put my paddle in the water of this debate many times.
My age lets me see the traditional Labor movement.
And it and I have moved on.
Once Communist, then confirmed Socialist I no longer truly follow either unlikely dream.
Yet am more than happy with current ALP direction and understand under both forms of government we are in part Socialist, and better for it.
A fruit stall set up to sell oranges in an area that only eats Apples will soon go broke.
It is not the ALP driving its self away from its once roots, voters buy and sell, not party's.
And they make the market, Labor occupies land once partly owned by conservatives.
Only made possible by that land being vacated by people like Abbott looking for more Orange eaters than the number that actually exist.
One step at a time voters/consumers of the political product, will drive party's to other grounds.
This is more likely to come via main stream party's than minority's, death of Democrats One nation, increasing isolation of greens and marginalization, a self inflicted wound of Nationals is evidence mainstream water flows best.

Dear Pelican,

I have to admit that I'm happy with the current
Government. I don't think any Government has all
the answers - but this Government has actually
achieved quite a lot in its short term in office,
and despite the many obstacles that were thrown
in its path. The PM seems to be a man that is
more concerned with getting on with the job
than playing politics.

In any case - it is our responsibility to
make our elected representatives
aware of our concerns and hope that they
will show some reaction.

The current Government's programs have been interrupted
by the workings of the former Bush Administration, and
the world economic meltdown, which has created an
unforeseen global recession requiring immediate
action. They went into the election with a set of
programs but due to the global financial catastrope
these programs have been slowed down, and changes had
to be put in place. It's unfortunate that the
Opposition's only talent seems to be condemnation.
And when given a chance to make history, they choose
instead to live in the past - preferring inaction
and complacency.

We should give this Government at least two terms in
office to implement their programs before we judge
them.

Well I see government being elected either because the oppossed government was not doing a good enough job, or the opp gov was not good enough to defeat the victor. Either way, many governments today win simply because they were not as bad as the alternative.

Remember, one major shortfall in our system is that to win an election, one does not have to be particularly good, they simply have to be better than the other side.

It's a bit like the old 'bear in the woods joke'.

Two hikers come accross a huge bear and one stops to put his runners on.

The other one says, "you don't think you can out run him do you", he replies no, I only have to be able to out run you.

I too am happy with the current government, even fit rechtubs view, how could anyone support the other mob.
I can not resist however highlighting this mornings, lift?.
Polls say Abbott is 5% higher at 23%.
Rudd down from 65 to 60.
hugely funny but Abbott may just get ,well will get even better.
Todays real story however is the leaking conservative bucket, it did not take long.
Hockey costed Abbott's idea at 50 billion.
I am guilty, all who replied are, we diverted this thread.
It is about how and why we select governments, is there another way.
In my view not in my lifetime.

“Why have we moved so far towards big business interests to the detriment in some cases to other important community and smaller business interests?”

Pelican, I think it is pretty straightforward. Big business is powerful. Politicians are for the most part (approximately 99.9999999%) money-grabbers who are interested above all else in setting themselves up very comfortably.

The cosy relationship between them and big business seems very understandable to me…..for people who are not highly principled, which includes the vast majority of human beings!

The paradigm is then entrenched, so that those who would be more principled are either strongly coerced to follow suit or can’t make any real differences to the paradigm and just end up losing out personally if they go against it.

The unfortunate part is that despite this glaringly obvious huge problem with government, and with the future wellbeing of our society, there just hasn’t been anywhere near enough outrage expressed by the general community, directed towards making government more independent.

But then, this paradigm has developed a set of safety measures that greatly assist in keeping the cosy relationship in place.

We’ve got the two big parties behaving in exactly the same way, so the opposition doesn’t oppose the political direction that has come out of this business-politician relationship, most significantly the pursual of enormously high and never-ending population growth and the increasing markets, economic turnover and jobs that it brings, regardless of the fact that it is just more of the same quality of existence for evermore people without increasing the average quality of life for existing residents at all and is being pushed upon us despite obvious and critical downsides such as stressed water supplies, congestion, overloaded infrastructure and services of all sorts and major environmental degradation. Uhhhh huuh (deep breath!)

continued