Required reading

[unixronin]

BRITAIN appears to be evolving into the first modern soft totalitarian state.  As a sometime teacher of political science and international law, I do not use the term totalitarian loosely.

Read and reflect.  The Brittannia that once ruled the waves is gone.

(via writerspleasure)

Comments

[ilcylic.livejournal.com]

Faster, faster.

[bikergeek.livejournal.com]

The really scary part is that the "progressive" political elements in this country tend to emulate and epitomize what they see Europe doing, and try to implement Europe's methods in the U.S.

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

I don't know much about Britain's imperial phase, but it seems like authoritarianism was the watchword back then, too. "Right, then, India; we have a *flag*. Do what we say."

So perhaps this is a reversion, after some years of influence from those lefties in France and America.

[hugh-mannity.livejournal.com]

Most of this has come about in the past 20 years or so -- I left just as it was beginning. However the roots of totalitarianism were planted a long time back -- George Orwell was writing about England in 1984

Certainly the UK has always had a much more left left wing than anything in US politics (the most rabidly left Democrats aren't really all that far left of much of the UK Conservative party) and we do have an actual Communist party that puts people on the ballot from time to time.

But the looney leftist element has been there since the 1960s -- The GLC and "Red" Ken Livingston used to be the most visible element. It wasn't so bad when it was confined to the People's Republic of Southwark (I was living there at the time) but now it's the national government it's much more dangerous.

But if you look back at first half of the 19th century, things were pretty rough. Famine, war, poverty, very harsh punishments for minor crimes (transportation or hanging for theft, for example) were the order of the day.

The Riot Act was actually passed at the beginning of the 18th century, but was used quite extensively against the various reform movements, such as the Chartists, in the 19th century (The Peterloo massacre being one of the worst cases of suppression of protestors).

So, yea, we have a history of oppressive government. But we also have a history of brilliant and unorthodox thinkers and some pretty good political ideas. After all, who brought you Magna Carta and Habeus Corpus?

And don't forget, the Dead White Guys responsible for the US Constitution were Brits originally not Americans. They invented America. :)

[rbos.livejournal.com]

That's what I was thinking, too.

Two words: Press gangs.

[lizzibabe.livejournal.com]

"Remember, Remember, the fifth of November..."