tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481298417819219839.post3181895935979550263..comments2024-03-28T12:44:18.114+00:00Comments on A K Haart: Not one of the lesser mattersA K Haarthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05897490979828603179noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481298417819219839.post-64845073621911636102021-06-29T17:36:16.171+01:002021-06-29T17:36:16.171+01:00djc - maybe that's one of the problems, partie...djc - maybe that's one of the problems, parties no longer have a convincing rallying cry and have to cobble together diverse standpoints not convincingly shared across the whole party.A K Haarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05897490979828603179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481298417819219839.post-5640839557679798672021-06-29T13:46:05.573+01:002021-06-29T13:46:05.573+01:00Parties form around a single matter of great impor...Parties form around a single matter of great importance, everything else becomes a lesser matter, differences are set aside for the greater cause. Then the great matter is settled, a compromise, or a stalemate… it becomes a lesser matter; 'normal' politics, the the egoistical climbing of greasy poles resumes until another great divide, another chasm to swallow lesser matters.<br />King v. Parliament, an Agrarian v. Industrial economy, Free Trade v. Protectionism, Capital v. Labour, a fixed order v. a changing world. djchttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00270463394930049227noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481298417819219839.post-14465702428029328972021-06-28T11:49:59.491+01:002021-06-28T11:49:59.491+01:00James - yes they do accumulate - like jobs left un...James - yes they do accumulate - like jobs left undone.<br /><br />DJ - "Which current political party has a known ethos?" That's a surgical question. I tend to lump them together now, but in that case what comprises the glue? The interests of a particular social class as far as I can see - as always.<br /><br />Sam - yes the pandemic has been a stroke of luck. As if the common theme is the old one, to have a common enemy and a mysteriously cunning virus is far better than a mysteriously cunning social class or foreign power. A K Haarthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05897490979828603179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481298417819219839.post-73194497276390239092021-06-27T17:17:04.774+01:002021-06-27T17:17:04.774+01:00The government are extremely lucky regarding the ...The government are extremely lucky regarding the totalitarian angle. It would only be seen as such if they were perceived to be benefitting at our expense. But the narrative is that we are all in this together, against the "common enemies" of covid and climate change. Ordinary Russians probably saw their government as standing firm and providing necessary measures against their evil capitalist enemies. Sam Vegahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05978971199859845931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481298417819219839.post-22237087052656970432021-06-27T13:57:56.186+01:002021-06-27T13:57:56.186+01:00But, but... for 40 years politics was a lesser mat...But, but... for 40 years politics was a lesser matter, overtaken by the machinations of the EU, and trivialised by the media desperate for column inches (and now pixels), and provided 'cover' by the BBC. Which current political party has a known ethos?<br /><br />On the other hand if the bulk of people are unconcerned about such things, totalitarianism is unlikely to take root. You need to care before something becomes important enough. Labour reached for the acceptance of Socialism, and failed. The Tories reached for the acceptance of Business and failed. Who can guess what the Lib Dems are after from day to day?DiscoveredJoyshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05300239909689336895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2481298417819219839.post-37415537304892568402021-06-27T11:49:50.314+01:002021-06-27T11:49:50.314+01:00Nicely put, AKH. Lesser matters can accumulate an...Nicely put, AKH. Lesser matters can accumulate and have a cumulative effect down the track.James Highamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14525082702330365464noreply@blogger.com