Here’s the unpopular truth: many of us have never had it so good |
As the year draws to a close, it might be worthwhile putting aside for a moment all of the complaints about what is wrong with this country and its political system, and reflecting for a change on what is good about our society.
This is not an argument for a retreat into complacency in the face of the undoubted problems that confront a lot of people in their daily lives. However, a bit of perspective is vital to ensure we don’t become ensnared in a political doom loop that could so quickly see all of the progress of recent decades unravel quickly.
We only have to look at the way the great institutions of the United States have been shredded by Donald Trump in a little over a year. For almost 250 years, progressives across the world have looked to the separation of powers conceived by the framers of the US constitution as the model for democratic development.
In just a year, Trump has dismantled many of the protections for citizens at the heart of the US constitution and turned government into the capricious rule of a deranged individual intent on enriching himself and his family. Yet he still commands considerable popular support.
Closer to home, the experience of the UK over the past 10 years shows how a wrong turn such as Brexit can lead to political chaos and economic decline. Even when voters realise they have made a wrong turn, putting........