Peter Jones

Corbyn’s false democracy

issue 06 October 2018

At the Labour party conference, Jeremy Corbyn said that he would do whatever his party members told him to. This, apparently, is what he means by democracy. Neither the original nor the modern version bears any resemblance to it.

Full-on Athenian direct democracy developed from its origins in 508 bc into a system in which every Athenian male citizen over 18 could attend an official Assembly (usually once a week) and determine, by a majority show of hands, whatever policy was put before them. These policies were presented by the Council, which consisted of 500 citizens aged over 30, serving for one year only and never more than two. They were appointed by lot via proportional representation, from the 139 demes (roughly, parishes) that made up Athens’ city-state. The Council was available at any time to accept any business put before it, and decided the form in which it would be put to the Assembly.

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