Time for debate on democracy

The question of household taxes, health cuts, water taxes, pension cuts — and probably chimney and window taxes before long — naturally concerns us all.

Most of us wonder, how these can best be resisted, just as the Government must wonder how much it can get away with. There is, probably, some idea that the emoluments public representatives receive as apart of their office would not go amiss, in adjusting the books. The morality of their receiving the large sums involved is very questionable, although there are bound to be eager apologists for them ready to leap out of every hedge.

Leaving aside for the moment these contingent questions of household taxes and cutbacks, and ways to get the country out of its financial crisis, it might be better to ask ourselves how is it that our political system produces under each and every administration an oligarchy, that however it tries to act fairly or justly, ends up protecting or promoting its own professional, family and local interests?