Sunday 30 December 2012

Only people who like pr should be politicians

Politicians who stand for elected office are by definition democrats otherwise they would not be participating in the democratic process. It is a contradiction to stand for elected office and reject the principle of (government and) democracy. If you are not a democrat it makes no sense for you to stand for elected office. But then since everyone who stands in a fptp election is a democrat it makes no sense that they do not insist on proportional representation. If politicians are democrats (and it would inconsistent to be otherwise) then it makes no sense that they do not insist on proportionality. It makes no sense for politicians in a democracy to be opposed to pr. All politicians in a democracy are democrats and so for this reason first past the post makes no sense. Fptp makes no sense because it accepts the principle of democracy (at least partially) but not entirely. To be consistent we must either fully accept the principles of democracy and be for proportionality or reject fptp because it is democratic. It makes no sense for democrats (and non-democrats) to support fptp. Anyone who rejects pr has no business participating in fptp elections because fptp elections are democratic. If we do not like pr because it is democratic (and there is no other reason) then we are being hypocrites if we stand for office in a fptp election. It is wrong to reject pr if we are willing to accept fptp. If pr is wrong then so too is fptp because they are both democratic and so someone who stands for election who rejects pr but not fptp is being a hypocrite. Only people who like democracy and pr should stand in elections. People who do not like pr should not stand in even fptp elections. They should not stand in any elections. Only people who like pr should (be politicians and) stand for elected office. People who do not like pr should not be politicians.

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