Peace In Our Time.

There is a common confusion between the terms democracy and majority rule.

Once in power, a government that panders only to those who voted for it quickly becomes divisive. Modern European governments fearful of this, and in realisation that they represent all their population, make sure that they keep their actual dogma quiet.

Margaret Thatcher was wonderful at posturing her right wing views to Tory voters but in cold economic analysis her years saw a massive expansion of public services and spending*. The similarity with the current Labour government is striking.

In Afghanistan and Iraq, we use the term “defending democratically elected governments” to explain our continuing occupation. No mention is made of any sizable minorities who may have a totally different outlook. THEY are insurgents.
650 000 killed and counting.

And so, on to that windswept but uninteresting town in Fife. Home of Scotland’s patron saint, inventor of golf and universities, that’s right! St Andrews, and that
historic peace agreement in full.

“If you, can forget the disenfranchisement, the army, the B Specials, the RUC, the Paras, any other instrument of state subjugation and killing of working class people for going to the wrong pub,

we, will forget the bombs and shootings and the intimidation and killing of working class people for going to the wrong pub.

From whence we may all proceed like modern nations the world over and worry about our mortgages and jobs and washing machines and Tuscan holidays…

Deal or No Deal?
Whatcha say? "

"Ummmm"

Bertie Ahern, leader of a government that has taken Ireland to the highest per capita income in the E.U. (purchasing power parity) must have been quaking in his boots.

“Please God, don’t give us the Ulstermen. You keep em Tony.”

And Tony would be thinking;

“Come on Bertie, take them, please, they’ll be no bother now, I promise. Look, I’ll give you my phone number and you can call me any time. We’re all in Europe now, the old borders are coming down, we’re homogenising. Christ man, you all LOOK the same! Perleease Bertie, don’t be sticking. Whatdya say?”

“Ummmm”



* The Thatcher government was at it’s most divisive when it allowed Conservative dogma to privatise public utilities and its criminal monetarist policies to mismanage the national economy. John Major’s government repaired some of that damage, was less divisive, and was re-elected on the strength of it.