Posts Tagged “parties”

For those of a slightly nervous disposition I advise to give this particular post a miss. For those of an inclination towards depression, epileptic seizures, cardiac instability, those in need of hope and more, they may also wish to give this post a miss. It is not due to any particularly graphic content but rather due to the high concentration of bitterness and disdain heavily interlaced throughout.

While I would very much like to fill these pages with more positive yet outlandish concepts, I recognize that not only are you as my readership likely unprepared to digest what I might put to your screen with sufficient effectiveness or enjoyment, but we sadly live within a world of plagiarists – and they exist upon all levels and within all fields, both locally and abroad. In this regard I would suggest that we have not come a long way since the early days of old communist Russia where the mere suggestion of doing old things in new ways could potentially lead to one’s downfall. Today we have political parties that would have the people believe that they themselves actually come up with the ideas that they present to us. After all, the electric city taxis came from the blue party’s mystical palm like a rabbit out of a hat. I’ve yet to forget the utter disappointment and anxiety on the face of the person who in quiet desperation claimed to be the true designer. I remain unaware whether he ever got the credit that he deserved but he is a prime refutation to the old adage that the meek shall inherit the earth. No… like ex-communist Russia we have our own ways of dealing with trivialities such as merit. If it floats the party gets the credit (or worse, the party mascot) and if it sinks then the creator is left to carry the can, whether or not it was implemented properly by the master plagiarists to begin with.

It is little wonder that the people fear the parties; vote for all the reds out of fear of the blues and vote for all the blues out of fear of the reds. It is little wonder that the people have been likened to sheep in the past and within this simile one may very well compare the media to the dogs that use energetic or threatening movements and barking to usher the people into the desired pen. The people bleat in protest but not only are they herded every consecutive election but they keep their head ducked low, retaining as low a profile as possible. And of course the Shepherd, with one red glove and one blue, is quite happy to get out the shears and trim the sheep down ever further until there is little left to speak of or until enough sheep bleat in protest. Nothing that a reduction in feed cannot fix, turning the herd against the protesting sheep until they too learn to bleat in a way that the Shepherd likes.

The servants have the masters by the nose. The winter is here and the selfish shepherd is shearing, ensuring a profit for the coming 5 years before releasing them and forgetting them. After all, five years is more than enough for the people to regain their fleece, the people will adapt and look after themselves, and they will forget the suffering that they went through in previous years. They are content that their wool has grown back and so the world is again painted in tints of red and blue. This is exactly what happened with the surcharge in recent years, the “rounding off” of the development zones, the increase in VAT, the departure tax, illegal immigration and a lot lot more, much of which that I probably remain unaware of. The people will again forget and they will be shepherded back into the bi-partisan enclosure come 2013. The sheep will vote for all the nationalists candidates and all the labour candidates alternately, mostly unaware of whom they gave their number 3 to, let alone their number 26. The sheep will choose the glove by which they will be sheared and the shears will be waiting. The shepherd is gloating.

This question was put forward by Simon in a comment on the ‘Ask James‘ page.

Simon: – James, as the mainstream parties political continue to move towards the centre, would you say that political ideology still has a realistic place in Maltese politics?

Me: – As regards the mainstream political parties, it is true that their policies seem to be heading towards a common mono-rail. However at times I have been given reason to question whether it is truly two political parties whose’ manoeuvres we are witness to and not a puppet act; with the Labour party thus far playing the puppet, seemingly taking a fall at too many important junctures in the past decade to shrug off as mere misfortune.

1998 – Was Labour taking the heat for utility price rises and CET to pave the way for the Nationalist’s surcharge and VAT increases?

2003 – Was “Switzerland in the Mediterranean/ Partnership” ever properly explained? Why were voters against EU-entry instructed to split their vote (don’t vote, spoil the vote, etc.)?

2008 – How did Labour retain Alfred Sant as leader and manage to lose the election… again? Who kept him there and why? Isn’t it interesting just how friendly and comfortable the Nationalists seem to be with the new leader?

Would you like a cheese burger or a hamburger Mr. Voter? 9_9

…But that wasn’t your question. ;c)

I would say that political ideology not only has a realistic place in Maltese politics but that the Maltese Islands are desperately in need of ideology. Without ideology reality is destined to deteriorate as you would get little progress (progress itself resulting from ideological processes).

Unfortunately I do not believe that the Maltese Islands have sufficient ideology in politics. This has resulted in a knock-on effect. Without political ideology there is no means by which a population can truly relate to the structures of governance that they have endorsed. The people become apathetic, just as they are today. The people worry about the cost of food and the lowness of the wages – important – but miss the wood for the trees. Tuna does not give a human being a purpose in life and neither does a one-Euro increase in wages (though welcome). What gives a human a feeling of purpose in life is to feel that one belongs, that one matters, that one has a role that one has chosen and that one will be appreciated for, that one is able to grow within their society, rather than wither beneath the jealous, vindictive or malign stares of others.

Realism can give Malta more of the same, and a practical means to achieve – but without ideology the best that one can aim to achieve is what one already is… and as they say, you need to aim for the mountains to reach the peak of a hill.

Do let me know if I fall short of answering your question in any way. :c)

Simon: – No, you haven`t fallen short at all. I appreciate another informed and well-expressed opinion. Like you, I would like to see political ideology return to the domain of political debate or, failing that, for the political actors to just come out and admit that they have no ideological convictions if that is the case.

At the moment, it seems that they want to have their cake and eat it by paying lip service to the ideological traditions in order to curry favour with certain parts of the electorate but essentially ignoring it when it comes to governance.

Me: – You’re welcome and thank you for another excellent question. While things do not look positive for the future of Maltese politics, what with both sides of the mainstream party locking down upon power in whatever means they deem necessary (under the pretence of “strengthening democracy”…). Indeed it seems that they are having their cake and they are eating it and this cannot very well be denied considering the mess that I witnessed at the counting halls during the last election.

However defeatism never ever brought about progress even in the most seemingly hopeless hollows.