Archive for September, 2016
The Danish effect: when citizens agree with public policy, they’re satisfied with democracy too
Inevitably, most of the people who didn’t vote for the party or parties in power will be less happy with the policies they implement. But in a survey of European countries, Christian Stecker and Markus Tausendpfund found this dissatisfaction extends to their opinion of the state of democracy in general, particularly when the government’s policies on […]
Book Review: Strangers in Our Midst: The Political Philosophy of Immigration by David Miller
In Strangers in Our Midst: The Political Philosophy of Immigration, David Miller defends the ability of states to control their borders and exercise the right to exclude immigrants on the basis of community goals and preferences. Alex Sager argues that the book’s central argument regarding this ‘weak cosmopolitan’ position is largely founded on myth, omission and the misrepresentation of empirical evidence; thus, […]
Now give us our own referendum: how Brexit could energise Europe’s insurgent parties
The Brexit vote could be an early sign of a European political tsunami, as upstart “insurgent” political parties across the continent use referendums as their weapon of choice to challenge the traditional political elites, write Suzi Dennison and Dina Pardijs. Their research for the European Council on Foreign Relations found that these parties are calling for […]
Does terrorism work? Why we need to answer the question – however difficult it is
In his new book, Richard English attempts to answer a question many would prefer not to contemplate: does terrorism work? Are its perpetrators right to judge that the only way to achieve the changes they want is through violence? English goes on focus on four of the most significant terrorist organisations of the last half-century: al-Qaida, the […]
Now Indonesia has a sovereign wealth fund – and it won’t be the last
Little noticed by the wider world, Indonesia’s government recently announced details of the creation of one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the region. Juergen Braunstein and Arianne Caoili argue the coming years will see a new wave of sovereign wealth funds, especially in countries with large state-owned enterprises. The Fountain of Wealth, SunTec […]
So much for #pencilgate: the referendum wasn’t rigged – but Britain’s electoral machinery needs fine-tuning
Despite widespread fears to the contrary, the EU referendum passed off without major problems. But the vote revealed underlying problems with Britain’s electoral system – most notably the difficulty of registering to vote. Toby S James and Alistair Clark, authors of a new report by the Electoral Commission on the quality of electoral administration at […]
In a divided Britain, the pro-EU movement will have to be clear about what it wants
The Brexit vote has thrown different conceptions of democracy into sharp relief. Some are horrified at the conduct of the referendum campaign; others see the result as the revealed will of the people. Luke Temple uses tweets from the March for Europe event on 3 September to show how these views clash. He concludes that the pro-EU movement needs a clear aim if […]
Book Review: London’s Boroughs at 50 by Tony Travers
On 1 April 1965, a new system of city government was introduced to London, resulting in the birth of 32 boroughs. In London’s Boroughs at 50, Tony Travers traces the emergence and development of each of these individual and diverse boroughs that have played a key role in revolutionising the city and the lives of its […]
The people have spoken. Or have they? Doing referendums differently after the EU vote
Referendums have become a central feature of our politics, writes Will Brett. In this extract from the Electoral Reform Society‘s report on the lessons learned from the Brexit vote, he sets out the shortcomings of the EU referendum and proposes how to improve the quality of debate next time – including intervention when campaigners make misleading […]
Delaying the countdown to Brexit: A cost-benefit analysis
Following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, a great deal of attention has focused on when the country will choose to begin its exit negotiations. Richard Rose writes that there are both pros and cons for the British government in pushing back the negotiations. A delay would allow the government to arrive at a […]
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