DEMOCRACY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22268, 22 May 1934, Page 11

DEMOCRACY

TO THE EDITOB. Sir,—A leading article in your Saturday morning's issue puts forward the idea that democracy requires a tonic. No mention is made of the fundamental cause of democracy's weakness. Possibly a line of thought now growing in popularity could be brought to your notice. To do this, may I quote from an article by Major C. H. Douglas in the New English Weekly? "If you had a railway which was fully equipped with locomotives, rolling stock, permanent way, and other necessaries of a flourishing system, and you had a public which was clamouring to use this railway, but was met by the statement that only a limited number of tickets would be issued because the traffic department refuse to issue more except on its own terms, you would, I think, agree that it was time something happened to the traffic department. We are exactly in that position to-day in the industrial world. Our equipment is wholly adequate, our public is clamouring for the goods, but in between the two stands a ticket office, and that ticket office is the banking system." You will, I am sure, agree that the function of democracy is to carry out the will of the majority of people. From the above article you will perhaps see that the will of the majority is not obeyed. People are clamouring for plenty amidst plenty and get poverty. The reason for this state of affairs is given in the same aritcle, as well as the point of attack for the cure. You will perhaps also see that your belief that " democracy is not played out" is slightly inaccurate. Democracy doesn't exist.—l am, etc., M. D. S.