Comments 7

谎言、该死的谎言和英国选举

Apr 29, 2015 Chris Patten

伦敦——揭示哪些候选人能不加修饰地说出真相并不是民主选举竞赛的目的。多数政治家尽量避免直接撒谎；他们像职业拳手那样躲闪可能让自己陷入到说谎境地的问题。但他们却不约而同地夸大自己的好处以及竞争对手获胜的危险。

我们可以理解政治家渲染自己的未来目标，而对别人的目标进行淡化处理。但做得不太过火才相对可信，并且此人在过去掌权时也应该取得过某些相似的业绩。选民们往往在一英里外就能辩认出政界匹诺曹和说谎者的长鼻子。但他们也并不用圣人的标准来要求自己的当选代表。他们愿意在一定程度上适用无罪推定（目前为止这是政界领袖能够拥有的最重要的品质）。我猜想在投票当天，戴维·卡梅伦首相在露面时会表现出这种特点。

选民们通常也相信直觉——虽然直觉并不总正确——即传统左翼党派往往会多征税多开支，而右翼党派则恰恰相反。选民们对此的反应体现出他们对近期局势的看法，以及他们希望自己和家人拥有什么样的未来。我认同选民们往往能够做出正确的判断。

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0 Comments on this paragraph, 8 in all 8 Comments on this article

David Chipping May 5, 2015

Chris Pattens article Irritates me, it statrs with two falsehoods about UKIP and even thoughI am not a supporter, I am offended by the frequency with which I hear it repeated. They neither want to end immigration or withdraw from EU , what they wish is for a renegotiated deal that opts out of EU federalism.
A sensible idea considering that before us we have an organisation that can neither adequately explain how it will ensure individual political representation or even produce a set of audited accounts for itself. The rushed federalism that is being so blatantly pushed to cover up the deeply flawed euro project is not ready to be deployed and will fail as spectacularly as the euro.
Secondly there is the notion that globalism is inevitable; we already have international trade , globalism has produced the most skewed economic stateof affairs. Most emerging markets are in crisis and the demographics that held them back traditionally still hold them back today.
I would even suggest that that globalism has almost had its day, we see the effect that a deregulated global financial system had in the 2008 crisis,visible from a long way off and an incurable vice for a corporate few that left global oversight organisations such as the IMF days away from running out of funding .
It has been tried and to a large extent has failed to produce better living standards or stable employment , there is nothing wrong with borders, thry have worked for a long time and do not imply an inward looking economy.
Tuat is why I find this article largely unsupported by fact .
tipa indy Apr 30, 2015

The fact that you imply English taxpayers subsidise Scotland in any measure goes a long way to show how little your knowledge is of Scottish economy, Barnett Formula and devolution. The English can sleep soundly. Scotland subsidises rUK, reason why we want full fiscale responsibility oil and whisky revenues included that are currently accounted UK not Scottish revenue.
slightly optimistic Apr 30, 2015

"Addressing the challenges that we Britons face will first require acknowledging our limited control over their root causes."
Indeed, the politics of not just Britain but the whole of the West are being challenged by global economics once ruled by the US.
Asia is taking over, and globalisation of politics is naturally following the globalisation of finance. With the exception of the US and Japan [so far] many countries, led by the UK, gambled this year that the future will be Asian values - and therefore piled into the Asia Infrastructure Development Bank chaired by China. This was an enormous geopolitical affront to Washington - who had warned allies against supporting what could become a rival to US control of global finance at the IMF.
Such is globalisation at present.
Alisdair Hamilton-Wilkes Apr 30, 2015

This is a strange article. The first part, a political analysis of election rhetoric is bang on the money; yes most politicians bob and weave and the peripheral parties promise totally unrealistic things to get the votes of un-discerning citizens. Does anyone disagree?

The second part seems dis-jointed from the first.
No country really wealds diplomatic or even military power in the same way countries could 50 years ago. We live in a different, hugely more connected world where our most dangerous enemy may well be a failed state with good internet connectivity.

The key issues surrounding the UK’s success either inside or outside the EU and other international bodies are not deals made by politicians but the dynamism of our industries and the effectiveness of our education system to competitively create wealth and desirable products and services that are in demand.
I wholly agree that the very foundations of political debate around foreign affairs, trade and industrial policy, the NHS and many other areas are totally wrong and ignore obvious and inconvenient facts. Has it ever been different?

I can only remember elections back into the ‘80s; maybe it was different before then!

What is fascinating is Mr Patten reveals that he is part of an educated political elite that lives within its own unreality that occasionally queries its own assumptions to realise a popular plebeian but harsher and probably more prejudiced view of the world but one that is no less valid.

‘Joe public’ probably does believe our armed forces are more militarily capable than they are and our diplomats more influential than they are but he also understands the limits of invading Syria or shouting at China over the Dalai Lama more than any previous generation. Most people do not miss the traditional hard power of the last century, sending large numbers of our children off to fight foreigners and living in a world shaped by the enmity of power blocks.
jagjeet sinha Apr 30, 2015

Groping for the narrative that shapes our tomorrow in a globalized world to secure our prosperity - perhaps is why we indulge in the exchange of ideas and elect leadership that creates That Tomorrow. Joe Public is not an idiot. Joe Public can see through the lies - with the help of crystal clear minds like Lord Patten.
UKIP indeed seems to be barking the wrong vision of a tomorrow - withdrawal into isolation is stupidity. Yes the Eurozone is a disaster not working - proof is the millions of migrants running away from Brussels multiple organ failures. 5 million into Britain, perhaps another 5 waiting. When our European brothers are foundering, creating even more barriers for them as they' try to improve their lot , is not right. If UKIP found ways to get money from Brussels to create more Infrastructure in Britain to look after the EZ migrants, we would both be better off. UKIP instead seeks withdrawal or raising barriers.
SNP has allied itself to French dreams and designs - avenging Waterloo is changing history. Like Greece grasping Russia to avenge Rome, the Scots seem to be hurtling towards an alliance with a failed Franco-German engine whose madness has left Europe teetering. The Eurozone is discharging migrants out in millions, with Britain perhaps required to create 5 New Londons to host those millions and turn the problem into an opportunity - like The Anglosphere that in the past 300 years has taken even more millions from an even more dysfunctional Europe in history led either by France or Germany. Instead of a Scotland creating positive economics with these millions of discharged Europeans, by creating at least One New London in Scotland, they seem to be reinventing an Anglophobia rather than enlarging The Anglosphere into a greater tomorrow.
The mainstream parties perhaps realise the Rules of attraction that made The Anglosphere great - Education and Health. The English language has blessed Britain more than any other invention in its history - and Europe cannot convert to English, because of its history of hostilities. Whereas China India America all have made English the world language of economics and business. Healthcare that NHS provides is perhaps Britain's second most important feature that makes it so attractive to Eurozone migrants - as Brussels failure to create world class healthcare across Eurozone mirrors its failures in European economics.
Strengthening Cameron's hands to prevent Scotland becoming another Greece and rejecting radical isolationism that UKIP promises, seems to he the narrative for tomorrow that Britain needs. Reinventing history is negative politics. Thank you, Lord Patten for the crystal ball.
Robert Carter Apr 30, 2015

UK can exercise the same degree of control over global events that might have been possible 50 years ago, not now?.
I'm not so sure Chris is right there add 53 British Commonwealth votes and EU when push comes to Shove,even Russia and China more condusive to following UK than USA in UN, IBRD, any major forum ~ So I guess UK still has that influence in honesty and morality that USA has zero of to offer.
Michael Public Apr 29, 2015

The only British politician I know with backbone enough to tell the truth is Russel Brand. Please remind again me if he is Labour or Tory?
- tipa indy Apr 30, 2015
  
  Russell Brand is not a politician.

http://prosyn.org/c8WB5hW/zh;

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