MEND DEMOCRACY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIII, Issue 85, 12 April 1937, Page 8

MEND DEMOCRACY

■ (To the Editor.) Sir,—rSurely there can be no question that democracy should be mended, not ended. It-is no good saying, as some do, that "democracy is on its trial," that "democracy has .been tried and found wanting," because, as a matter of fact, democracy has never yet been given'a fair trials For example, our; so-called "representative institutions," local and national, do not truly represent the. people. .They cannot; possibly-'do so, 'except.. by sheer accident, unless and until we have, both for local and for national purposes, proportional representation; for this alone can ensure'majority rule and secure that, on our local bodies and in our national Parliament alike, each school of political thought shall be represented, as it ought to be. in proportion to its voting strength. But, to. give democracy a fair trial, it is also essential that, by means of the elective executive, government by party shall be got rid of, that ithe Ministry shall truly represent Parliament and that; instead of bossing Parliament and imposing its own programme upon Parliament, it shall carry Out the will of Parliament.

. Proportional representation and the elective executive will make democracy safe for ■ the world; but, in order that democracy may have a really fair trial, it Is equally essential that the world shall be made safe for

democracy;'and this can only be done by securing the equal rights of each and all to the use of- the earth and to the enjoyment of the full product of their labour. Henry George has shown that these rights can only be secured, by taking economic' rent— community-created land values —as public revenue, • abolishing , all tariffs and other robber taxes, local as well as national, and abolishing also all embargoes, quotas, exchange juggling, and other restrictions upon and interferences with the free flow of trade between nation and nation. '

Tariffs, quotas, embargoes, and suchlike are all forms of economic warfare, and are admittedly the .root causes today. of actual warfare between nation and nation..' -And it is only for war purposes—for building up large armaments' against the „ will of the people and for sudden attacks like a bolt from the '.'blufr—that'.dictatorships have any advantages over democracy. For all things else, the advantages are all on the side of democracy.

The democracies of the world, should, therefore,: put their : own houses, in order as soon as may be,;thus securing political, social, and economic justice as between their own nationals and, by; treating all. other nations,on the level-and ;on the square, -point,■'■ the way ; to international justice asvw_eil. The only sound basis for peace is justice within each nation and justice between all inations: arid-, this true democracy alone is able to secure. : But for the. density; of her population, New ; Zealand -.'• might, well lead':: the world hi" these matters.—l; ani. •etc.,: : , '^■ '■ '■ >■ ■:■:?. '■ ■ ' -:'■■:' ': ■; ■■':.■ '' I '-DEMOCRAT/"'' ■