This four-part mini-series follows on from 2020’s series on the constitution and independence, taking a more in-depth look at the political and democratic elements.
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Things that are not threats to democracy (but are often claimed to be)
Disagreeing with or criticising a politician – You should always try to be polite, of course. Though disagreeing with a politician, a party, a government or a policy – even impolitely – is not “abuse”. It’s not “a threat to democracy”. Politicians who belong to a party are there to defend that party’s record and policies (as well as their own record). If they can’t do that, they shouldn’t put themselves forward for a role that requires regular contact with the great unwashed or defending the seemingly indefensible. The line between criticism and abuse has become increasingly, and deliberately, blurred (Part IV).
Apathy – This could be as simple as not voting. It also extends to someone not caring about what’s happening around them. As mentioned earlier, this is usually an outward symptom of political failure and alienation rather than something that undermines democracy by itself. The right not to vote or not to have an opinion falls as much under freedom of speech as the opposite (Part III).
Dog whistling – This is the use of deliberately vague words and slogans that supporters (and opponents) can interpret to mean different things; for example, terms like “hard-working families” and “traditional values”. It could be argued that it undermines democracy because people may vote for a party/manifesto with different interpretations of what they intend to do. It’s part of the “dark arts” of politics, but it’s a tactic as old as democracy itself. Every single politician has done this at some point – no exceptions.
Whataboutery (aka. “the pot calling the kettle black”) – Disinformation’s thicker, smellier cousin. The opposing side picks out something your side has said or done that they deem to be wrong or questionable. So in response, you come back with an example of something they’ve said/done that’s equal or worse in order to point out their hypocrisy and get you off the hook. Like dog whistling, almost every politician has done it at some point. It’s not a threat to democracy, more a sign of a lack of imagination.
Wedge issues – A wedge issue is a controversial issue that causes in-fighting amongst people on the same side. It’s a blunt weapon and can backfire, but the whole point of it is to sow discord amongst an otherwise united camp to weaken them – and it often works. If you’re observant enough you can see this happen in real time, but because the issue gets so many people passions up, there’s often very little you can do to shut it down once it’s out there.
U-turns/”flip-flopping” – Changing your mind when you have all of the information at hand, or the situation changes, isn’t a bad thing. Politicians get unfairly criticised for doing so even if the facts or events warrant a course correction. They might also avoid changing their mind – when they need to – because they don’t want to appear “weak” or “indecisive”. So politicians are damned if they do, damned if they don’t on this….
