The Gaelic State in the past & future : $b or, "The crown of a nation"Figgis, Darrell
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The Gaelic State in the past & future : $b or, "The crown of a nation"
Figgis, Darrell
Ireland -- Politics and government; Irish question
The Government would, by necessity, depending as it would on the will
of the Assembly, be found from and always be responsible to that
Assembly. That is to say, the largest party, or combination of parties,
just as in the present clumsy theory of government, would create
the Government of the day. But the Ministers of Government would be
presidents of various councils, and would reflect their desire. Instead
of evolving theories from consultation with the permanent officials
of departments, as happens in England and most other countries, they
would be directly in touch with the interests over whose destinies
they preside, and their attention would be occupied with the immediate
practical questions raised from time to time. If some scheme suggested
itself to them as desirable they would first have to win the consent
and approval of their respective councils before coming to the Assembly
with them; and when they came, they would come not only as Ministers of
the Government but as spokesmen of their councils. Thus the clumsiness
and constant injustice of majority government would continually be
refined by contact with living issues. Within the body of the existing
law each special interest would be the arbiter of its own affairs.
When fresh legislation became necessary by changed conditions, or
through other causes, its council would discuss it, formulate it, and
be responsible through its president for the initiative of bringing it
before the Assembly of the Nation.
A system such as this, as has been said, would bring into joint
operation two kinds of representation: the representation of special
interests and the representation of the whole people. Clearly they
would require a solvent and a corrective. New legislation might be
initiated by a council and be considerably altered by the Assembly.
This would naturally only be the case in extreme cases, for the will
of such councils would naturally have a far higher authority than the
sole will of one man in consultation with permanent officials. Yet
the contingency would have to be provided for. For the council might
reject the amended form of its wish, as it would have the right to do.
Or the Assembly might reject the suggestion altogether, or compel its
withdrawal, with the result that the initiative might be repeated.
Very properly the final decision would rest with the Assembly, for it
would be responsible not to special interests, but to the whole Nation.
Yet the councils would equally require some further court to which to
appeal on the argument that no Assembly at all times and in all cases
represents a nation’s will, however frequently it be elected. They
would therefore demand some court in which they themselves had a direct
voice.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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