We should elect ministers directly, give them a substantial slice of votes, and combine their votes with those of other ministers, other elected representatives, and also direct votes from the public. What might this look like in practice?
Neither individualism nor therapeutic withdrawal from the political arena are enough to empower people to make the fundamental changes needed in their lives.
While the defence of democratic sovereignty is a central defensive battleground, there lies an offensive task as well - in expanding democracy.
If parties are to avoid terminal decline they must heed the lessons 38 Degrees offers - people want influence and tangible efficacy from their politics rather than being offered rigid ideological platforms and unresponsive hierarchies.
Representative democracy was a considerable improvement on feudalism, and political parties a part of that shift. But is that any reason to continue to champion either in an age of participatory networks?
OurKingdom and Birkbeck’s Centre for the Study of British Politics and Public Life today launch our new series on the future of the mass party. Everyone knows membership and legitimacy have been fading for many years. The question is, what happens next? Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternet
In collaboration with OurKingdom, the Centre for the Study of British Politics and Public Life at Birkbeck are hosting a free debate on April 24 about the future of mass party politics - is radical reform needed, or will we move beyond parties completely?
