AC Grayling gave an impressive and memorable talk at the book festival, on his book For the People – on how democracy is under threat today by the forces of authoritarianism, election interference, and loss of faith in our institutions. And on how we can all help to protect the value of the liberties of democracy.
“Inequality is toxic.”
Democracy defends civil liberties, freedom of speech and the rule of law. In the 90s we thought we’d moved forward from fascism and we became complacent. That Donald Trump became the US president with his all felonies, is deeply troubling. No one is above the law. There is the Far Rights push back against liberal ideas,
He spoke of Abraham Lincoln’s famous short speech at Gettysburg, ‘Government of the people, by the people, for the people.’ But who are the people he asked? Alexander Hamilton’s – the Electoral College was supposed to be a barrier to protect democracy.
At the Federal level, democracy is filtered out by the first past the post voting system – which can mean getting elected with 11 out of 100 votes. It means that 37% of votes can lead to a huge majority. There is an urgent need to look at the, both here and in the US electoral system. The House of Representatives, which is elected every two years, means they are constantly electioneering. There are two senators for each state – with a small caucus, which leads to very conservative views and is a huge drag on progress.
America is run by two parties under control of Big Money, and its all about buying seats. What will happen with Crypto? The 2nd amendment to bear arms, was brought in back 250 years ago when it took ages to load a musket – but now?
There’s been a huge increase in inequality. A millionaire in time means 2 weeks. A billionaire in time means 32 years. The deregulation of the early 90s has meant inequality is growing. Scandinavia, with is high tax regime are investing in people. and some fairness in society. Dictators hollow out the democratic institutions and weaponise social media. All the corruption, with structures being manipulated.
“I want ‘unity’ not harmony.”
“Every time we do nothing we give ground” …”We must keep resisting – and not accepting – and the reasons why. Defend and exchange ideas.” We must all make a contribution, we’ve become complacent. In 1943, after the ruins of Europe and all the pain and suffering – we valued human rights and the rule of law. But now the left are fragmented. Grayling said we need root and branch change for a new constitution.
On an optimistic note Grayling said, “Dark times are times of opportunity”
(He also asked - How much water is imported to the UK – 70% - in the frim of fresh fruit and veg form countries with no water.
Anthony Grayling is a British philosopher and author. He was born in Zambia and Malawi.From 1919 to 2011, he was Professor of Philosophy at at university London. In 2011 he became the first Master of new college of Humanities (now Northeastern University London). He is also a supernumerary fellow of st Anne’s college, Oxford.
Grayling is the author of about 30 books on philosophy, biography, history of ideas, human rights and ethics. including The Refutation of Scepticism (1985), The Future of Moral Values (1997), Wittgenstein (1992), What Is Good? (2000), The Meaning of Things (2001), The Good Book (2011), The God Argument (2013), The Age of Genius: The Seventeenth Century and the Birth of the Modern Mind (2016) and Democracy and its Crisis (2017). Grayling was a trustee of the London Library and a fellow of the World Economic Forum, and is a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and the Royal Society of Arts. For a number of years he was a columnist for The Guardian newspaper, and presented the BBC World Service series Exchanges at the Frontier on science and society.
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