Great Britain -- Social conditions; Moral conditions; Social problems
This political machine must be radically and comprehensively reformed
before it can be a fit instrument for the reform of the nation. All
the pyrotechnic distractions and gross irregularities of an election
must be suppressed: all plural voting must be abolished: the comedy of
cars for feeble voters must be forbidden: all indirect bribery, either
of voters or candidates, must be rigorously punished. Candidates must
put a simple and sober statement of their views and proposals before
the electorate, and no further expense should be permitted. Some
system of proportional representation and secondary elections should
ensure that large minorities would not be entirely without
representation. The election should be confined to one day, preferably
a Sunday, and stripped of all melodramatic nonsense and occasion for
corruption.
The party-system will, no doubt, long survive in English political
life. Within twenty years or so the word "Conservative" will, as
in other countries, pass out of use, and the Conservative elements
will unite under the banner of "Liberalism," in opposition to
"Labour." It is, of course, the dread of this issue which at
present unites the constitutional parties in opposing reform. One can,
by studying advancing countries, even foresee a next phase. The
Conservative elements will unite in a "Labour" party against the
Socialists; and in the dim future we may, like Anatole France, foresee
a Socialist commonwealth established and an Anarchist party furiously
assailing it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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