Friday 16 December 2022
Comfortably Mad
Both the characteristic modern parties believed in a government by the few; the only difference is whether it is the Conservative few or Progressive few. It might be put, somewhat coarsely perhaps, by saying that one believes in any minority that is rich and the other in any minority that is mad.
G.K. Chesterton - What's Wrong with the World (1910)
A characteristic which seems to have evolved into both major UK parties and their more influential supporters being comfortably mad. Not necessarily rich, but certainly comfortable financially. And mad of course. Even their professed virtues are mad.
Political madness is a barrier to entry, keeps out the troublesome sceptics. If they ever do breach the barrier the solution is obvious - tell the servants to pile on more madness.
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3 comments:
I suspect that he may have been thinking of politicians who were even more posturing than they are now...
But at least back then, a politician had to have money to do the 'work', whereas today they mostly do it to get rich, and then richer with their second and third jobs!
It's a good point about the "madness barrier" to the sane. The question then becomes whether it's harmless duffer insane or something nastier. On the other hand, sceptics can be said to be irregular, even eccentric at times.
Scrobs - Stretford and Urmston voters have just saddled themselves with a guy who looks like a career politician. Apparently he described Boris Johnson as "far right". The mind boggles yet again.
James - something nastier surrounded by harmless duffers seems to be the pattern.
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