Historically, party's have tended to align themselves along a lenear spectrum depending on how much government involvement they wanted in the economy. Over time we've come to realise that it's not so straight forward. Historically, the Conseratives were protectionsist, and the liberals free traders, then the tables were turned, now it seems both sides support it.
The Greens have proven it too. Though it's economically conservative, it's socially progressive. Increasingly we're seeing mixed-system parties creeping up.
So why not a 'structuralist' party? What I mean by this is a party that has no clear policy on how much the government ought to stick its nose on the economy (possibly leaving that to each individual party member), but that would focus rather on sussing out structural inefficiencies in the system and propose alternative radical structural overhauls of the system that would make the provision of services more efficient.
This, I believe, would attract people from both the left and the right. After all, if we can make the system more efficient, then the left could choose to improve services without increasing taxes, or alternatively the right could reduce taxes without sacrificing services. It would be a win-win situation.
It just seems that now, however, no party is actually looking at radical restructuring of the system, but rather merely cutting or increasing spending in a sea-saw manner, according to the dogmatic whims of the day. The structure, it would seem, has become so overlooked that it's just taken for granted, or even dare I say a tradition.
We need to shake it up and see where we can streamline wisely, and make various proposals in that direction prominent election issues.
Do you think such a party might stand a chance?
The Greens have proven it too. Though it's economically conservative, it's socially progressive. Increasingly we're seeing mixed-system parties creeping up.
So why not a 'structuralist' party? What I mean by this is a party that has no clear policy on how much the government ought to stick its nose on the economy (possibly leaving that to each individual party member), but that would focus rather on sussing out structural inefficiencies in the system and propose alternative radical structural overhauls of the system that would make the provision of services more efficient.
This, I believe, would attract people from both the left and the right. After all, if we can make the system more efficient, then the left could choose to improve services without increasing taxes, or alternatively the right could reduce taxes without sacrificing services. It would be a win-win situation.
It just seems that now, however, no party is actually looking at radical restructuring of the system, but rather merely cutting or increasing spending in a sea-saw manner, according to the dogmatic whims of the day. The structure, it would seem, has become so overlooked that it's just taken for granted, or even dare I say a tradition.
We need to shake it up and see where we can streamline wisely, and make various proposals in that direction prominent election issues.
Do you think such a party might stand a chance?