FOR a lesson on just how rotten politics is, look to America. Politics has broken America. It’s now perfectly normal to discuss the death of American democracy, or Republican states seceding from the union, or even some contemporary version of a civil war.
That’s what modern politicians do: destroy. They take people, nations and societies, and sunder them. Modern politics has broken Britain; it’s breaking Scotland. It’s broken Hungary, it’s nearly broken Poland, and it’s breaking France. The identity politics which politicians foist upon us is poison.
Do you really believe all those folk who were once friends and are now at each other’s throats over Brexit or independence or US gun control – or whatever the subject is which politicians use like a crowbar to separate us from each other – would hate one another so fiercely if the inhabitants of Holyrood or Westminster or Congress hadn’t fed their anger and forced them into tribes?
Why do we allow ourselves to be manipulated by a tiny sliver of society who use the old tactic of divide and rule to reduce us to a perpetual state of dependency which enriches and empowers them?
We’re fools. We’ve permitted our employees – we pay politicians’ exorbitant salaries. after all – to claim absolute dominion over us. If ever there was a system of self-imposed slavery, it’s the condition between the modern voter and politician.
So how do we change that? How do we break the power of politicians and reduce them to the position which they should be in: the managers, not masters, of our will?
Read more: Why it's time to cut politicians out of Scotland's indy debate
The answer is simple but daring: we must assume power ourselves. I don’t mean some anarchist free-for-all. Quite the opposite. I mean the creation of a system whereby informed citizens control the biggest decisions affecting our lives.
Last week I spoke to Professor Matt Qvortrup, one of the most gifted minds in the realm of political science. He is, without hyperbole, the world authority on referendums, and democratic decline. He sees the rise in referendums as inextricably linked to our polarised politics: an expression of the divisions politicians have thrust upon us by creating brutal, binary arguments that reduce everything down to a tribal "us and them", and a zero sum game in which the only conclusion is the destruction of one side.
For a long time, I’ve been mulling over the benefits of "sortition democracy" – where ordinary people are selected like a jury to tackle the most intractable problems facing society. The best example was the Citizens’ Assembly set up in Ireland to deal with the country’s divisions over abortion. Some 100 ordinary people spent months hearing evidence from all sides of the debate. They then reached a position, based on the common sense of ordinary people, and the government put that proposition to the Irish electorate. The resulting referendum saw abortion legalised, and the Irish experiment is now hailed as the perfect model for resolving seemingly permanent divisions.
Imagine if the UK’s relationship with Europe had been put to a Citizens’ Assembly instead of weaponised in the hands of politicians? We could have reached compromise, acknowledging concerns around the EU, whilst keeping our relationship with the world’s biggest club of nations.
When ordinary people talk to each other we find ways to live together. We know that unless we want hatred then we must find accommodation with our friends, families, neighbours, work colleagues, and strangers.
Politicians don’t operate as "normal" people operate. They seek division and confrontation, not compromise. They’re a crank class. What "normal" person wishes to hold power over others? The author of Utopia, Thomas More, once wrote that nobody who longs for power should be given power; the only people allowed near power should be those who don’t want it, but have the attributes to administer it wisely. Would you not rather have the wise old lady down the street who’s always done good in her life in Bute House, or No 10 or the Élysée Palace?
Professor Qvortrup took up my hankering for sortition democracy and gave it shape. He suggested that when it comes to Scotland’s most intractable problem – independence – the matter should be taken out of the hands of politicians and given to the people; that a Citizens’ Assembly be empanelled to find a way forward.
In other sortition experiments, Citizens’ Assembly members are selected at random and weighted to ensure they represent society, so there’s a proper mix of rich/poor, black/white, and male/female. There’s no political interference.
An outside body like the Electoral Commission could oversee any assembly, not politicians. The people then hear evidence from all the experts – economic, political, military. Once evidence is taken, the assembly members can propose what sort of relationship Scotland should have with the UK: the status quo, some reformed relationship or devo max, or full independence. Let the Citizens’ Assembly also decide the terms of any referendum. Then let us – the rest of the people – vote on that proposition.
Such a notion would have the incontestable authority of the will of the people behind it. It would, in truth, be the very definition of good democracy.
Look at what the Westminster Government is doing. Boris Johnson and his band of ultra English nationalists are dismantling Britain – partly through idiocy and neglect, partly through a determined assault on decency: attacking the electoral system, the judiciary and media freedom, and pursuing the dreadful step of shipping refugees to Rwanda.
Look at what the Holyrood Government is doing. It isn’t wicked in the way that the Johnson Government is wicked, but it’s useless. It couldn’t manage a fantasy football league. Nor can the SNP Government be trusted on any referendum. It dangles promises to keep its base revved up, thereby constantly dividing the nation.
For pity’s sake, let’s grow up and take matters into our hands as adults. Sortition – real people power – will be the big story for the reshaping of democracy throughout the rest of the 21st century. Scotland should embrace it now and lead the way; show that we can limit the power of dangerous politicians, and give people the dignity of taking the tough decisions which sculpt our own lives.
Our columns are a platform for writers to express their opinions. They do not necessarily represent the views of The Herald
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel