DEMOCRACY WANTED

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31211, 8 November 1966, Page 13

DEMOCRACY WANTED

—M. D. Sadler

(Keynesian Party) I am probably an unusual mixture of a radical and a conservative. I believe strongly, as Keynes did, that if certain important things are to stay the same, then other less important things must change. Since I am excessively fond of arguing, usually from a minority position, I regard real democracy as one of the important things and am disturbed when talk of democracy degenerates into mere lip-service. The National Party’s use of the “Communist” smear against critics is fundamentally anti-democratic, nor are unions and the Labour Party run as democratically as they should be.

I think Western democracy is declining, relatively speaking, that this decline ought

to be reversed if possible, and that some of those who shout loudest about “Communism” are really the most apathetic in their concern about the world situation. I believe, as our manifesto states, that “freedom springs from a balance of power.” I believe, further, that the key to a stable balance of power in Asia, and perhaps in the world, a balance on which atomic disarmament and the survival of our semi-civilisa-tion may depend, is India and her 500 m people. I therefore believe that New Zealand and Australia should make great efforts to help the Indians, to help India continue as a democracy, and should plan to make her the main future market for our food exports. Motorway

In the St Albans electorate, while the northern motorway may be necessary, our manifesto points out: “There is a tendency for improvements in efficiency in one direction, to be undermined by the lack of forethought in other directions. We believe, for instance, that attractive multistory housing should be built close to places of work. Relocation of housing to enable those willing to co-operate to live close to their place of work would reduce city traffic problems and the cost to ratepayers of motorway construction.” Thus local issues, no less

than world issues, show up the lack of real thought which characterises the policies of the other parties in this country. If we get even a few hundred votes in St. Albans we will carry on until we change this.