Brexit As Well As Democracy

A constant refrain from politicians in addition to others is that nosotros accept to leave of absence the European Union because nosotros accept to honor democracy, where past times republic they hateful that 52% voted to produce so. Arguments that the vote was based on lies past times the Leave side are met alongside dismissive remarks similar both sides were the same, or what produce you lot await from politicians in addition to so forth. The of import thing, nosotros are told, is to ‘respect democracy’.

In Poland the regime lately passed a constabulary which volition dismiss all existing judges in addition to let the nation to straight appoint their successors. This regime was democratically elected, in addition to the invention was inward their manifesto. So why did the Polish President veto the plan, in addition to why was the European Union deeply concerned nigh it? Surely in that place was a clear mandate for this policy? Shouldn’t the President in addition to the European Union honor democracy?

The argue why the President in addition to the European Union were correct is that republic is much to a greater extent than than having elections or referendums every so often. Checks in addition to balances, in addition to the dominion of law, are crucial ingredients of a good functioning democracy. But having an independent judiciary is non the entirely essential feature of republic equally good voting.

I personally recall an of import share of republic is that politicians produce non base of operations campaigns on consummate lies, in addition to that knowledge, evidence, facts in addition to expertise are respected in addition to are easily accessible to all voters. Otherwise elections tin live on won past times those who enjoin the biggest lies. If this happens in addition to is non remedied republic is a sham. As I noted here, lies were cardinal to the Leave effort (more coin for the NHS, Turkey nigh to bring together the EU) in addition to accept already been shown to live on untrue, patch the cardinal plank of the Remain effort (dubbed Project Fear past times Leave) has already come upwardly to pass. Polls propose the Leave lies gained them votes. Only i side inward the effort spent a large amount of fourth dimension dismissing or denigrating academic expertise (be it economists or lawyers).

In the USA the Republicans command Congress in addition to the White House, all won past times democratic elections where a key share of the Republican platform was repealing Obamacare. The Republicans thus look to accept an overwhelming democratic mandate for this repeal. So why are so many people protesting against this repeal? Isn’t it of import for republic that repeal goes ahead?

You may tell that the Republicans did non tell how they would repeal Obamacare, only neither did the Leave effort tell how they were going to leave of absence the European Union (or rather they said whatever people wanted to hear). You may tell that Leave voters volition lose their organized religious belief inward the democratic organization if Brexit doesn’t happen, only the same is certainly truthful for Republican voters if Obamacare is non repealed. That is hardly a argue to produce it.

But referendums are non similar elections, nosotros are told. Mandates from elections tin live on challenged only plebiscite results must live on respected. But where is it written that plebiscite results (particularly those that are so close) tin never live on challenged? Where is it written that nosotros must live on bound past times the words of politicians during the referendum.[1] If it turns out that the claims of i side inward the plebiscite accept been shown to live on false, where is it written that the plebiscite number should withal live on cast inward rock for a generation. The response is nowhere, in addition to for the goodness reasons that David Allen Green explains. All that is written is that parliament is sovereign.

People overseas, inward the European Union or outside, are mystified at what the Great Britain is currently doing. The primary supporter of Brexit overseas is an authoritarian regime, which should give you lot a clue nigh what is going on. There are 2 overwhelming reasons for challenging the plebiscite result: it was arrived at after a deeply flawed campaign, in addition to nosotros directly accept data that clearly shows the extent of the Leave campaign's lies. The Leave effort abused republic earlier the vote alongside lies, in addition to and so abused the give-and-take subsequently to stifle whatsoever dissent. When a vote is won narrowly inward an election based on lies that accept directly been exposed, it seems to me a hallmark of a functioning republic is that the master vote is challenged in addition to voters accept a risk to vote again.

[1] We could add together whether nosotros should live on jump past times an electorate chosen to move along Brexiteers happy.