Americans are not the first to fret over the potential harm that parties can inflict. But parties can also promote the common interest.
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For a democracy there needs to be more than one source of a political agenda for there needs to be an element of choice otherwise it is not democratic. However, for a true democracy it depends on the element and freedom of choice.
For in Russia, while in theory there is more than one political party, but effectively there is only one, as there are strict limitations placed on any others and certainly on members of these others.
In America we are all aware of Democrats and Republicans, the two main parties but there are some minor parties being Libertarian, Green, Constitution, and Alliance parties, but their share of the vote is insignificant compared to that of the Democratic and Republican parties.
While in the UK there is Labour and Conservatives who tend govern mostly, but there is also the Liberal Democrats, with the Scottish Nationalist in Scotland, Plaid Cymru in Wales, and in Northern Ireland, Sinn Féin, Democratic Unionist Party, (DUP), Alliance Party of Northern Ireland, Ulster Unionist Party, Social Democratic and Labour Party, and others. Any who win seats in General Elections or Bi-Elections are entitled to sit in the UK House of Commons in London, but in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland they also have their own Devolved Assemblies, although the Northern Ireland Assembly is not currently sitting due to a dispute with the DUP.
Now the definition of a democracy is: the belief in freedom and equality between people, or a system of government based on this belief, in which power is either held by elected representatives or directly by the people themselves. (Cambridge Dictionary)
But, I believe that a true democracy is not only persons governing by being elected by the population on political party agendas, but then govern not only for those who elected them, but for everyone of the population, which may not be the same. So, in the UK during 1918-2022 the share of the vote for the elected ruling party has been less than 50%, so not for the majority of the population. Even those persons voting for whichever party they did, it can’t be said that they agreed with everything that Party was standing for. In the UK both the name of the candidate and the party they are with are both mentioned on the ballot paper in each said Constituency so, it can’t be assumed that everyone who voted was for the party or the candidate. The winning Candidate who then becomes a Member of Parliament, (MP) is supposed to represent all of the persons in the in the said, Constituency, not just those who voted for them, but in many instances they could be voting on Party lines, just as can be seen in the applauses in Bidens American Address.
It is my belief that when voted in Party politics should be put on one side and the ruling assembly be run on what is best for the whole country and not what is best for some selection of the country, that would be a true democracy and where it is seen not to be there should be immediate accountability and not waiting for the next election.
61chrissterry 