and had resisted the Scots desire to exit
the United Kingdom. If it was not okay
for the Scots to leave, you would have
assumed that the politicians would avoid
any debate on separatist agendas.
Which brings us to the question, is a
referendum a democratic tool to decide
issues? It seems to have become the
new political tool to try and dilute
democracy since the premise is that if
the question is important enough then
ask the people directly.
Democracy is based on a system of
representation and those we send
to parliament are supposed to have
the mandate to speak for us and if
we are not satisfied with their level
of representation then we have the
recourse of voting them out on a
regular basis.
The trend seems to have become that
when politicians cannot push their
agenda through the instruments of
democracy they bypass the parliament
and appeal to the masses directly to
legitimize often very narrow and selfish
agendas.
The demagogues has mastered the art
of manipulating the masses and are able
to convince the electorate that what is
being put before them is a matter that
cannot be determined using the normal
democratic channels.
The danger is that this weakens
democracy and as we have argued
previously if democracy does not work
then it may be more sensible to do
away with it rather than have a mongrel
system that seems to create a great deal
of instability.
What is even more worrying is that the
referenda require a simple majority to
pass. Are we sure by the results of the
Brexit results that the British wanted
to leave the union or did some canny
campaigners manage to hoodwink
voters with false promises.
A whopping 48% voted to remain in
the union, so are we saying their voice
does not count? It is not an overriding
majority that voted to leave so how can
one interpret the vote results to mean
the British wanted out.
Even more telling is the voting pattern
that had Scotland, Northern Ireland
and London vote to stay. This is
disaster in the making as it legitimizes
Scotland’s assertion that it should leave
the United Kingdom as its interests are
not being catered for.
All Brexit referendum achieved was
to undermine the authority of the
British on the continent without a
corresponding compensation. The
tenuous United Kingdom ties have
been further weakened with Scotland
and North Ireland renewing their
separatist agenda.
All because a referendum was held to
determine a largely partisan political
agenda and all it created was a polarised
unhappy country. Within twenty four
‘‘ It would be a tragedy of huge proportions
if we then troop back to vote in another
referendum to amend a constitution that
we still have not bothered to read. Those
who convinced us that the constitution was
the best thing since bread and jam, must
explain why the bread is now stale.’’
‘‘ The trend
seems to have
become that
when politicians
cannot push their
agenda through
the instruments
of democracy
they bypass the
parliament and
appeal to the
masses directly to
legitimize often
very narrow and
selfish agendas.’’
hours of voting many had realised
that they had been duped or voted in
ignorance.
Is a referendum the best way to deal
with issues? Apparently not and as we
in this region clamour for referenda, we
need to be clear what it can and cannot
do. We voted to have a new constitution
without bothering to read it.
It would be a tragedy of huge
proportions if we then troop back to
vote in another referendum to amend
a constitution that we still have not
bothered to read. Those who convinced
us that the constitution was the best
thing since bread and jam, must explain
why the bread is now stale.
It also makes nonsense of the
requirement that the President should
swear to protect the constitution if the
very constitution he is supposed to
uphold is pilloried by the same people
who campaigned for it. The constitution
is not a weapon, it is our defence!