Following up to Clive George
So you would only take part in the democratic process if your vote is the casting one? Consider this, prospective parliamentarians contest hopeless seats, if they do quite well the are given a winnable one, so even your losing vote can have an effect on the future course of politics! but of course, only a small effect and in conjunction with others, that's the way it works, how could one persons vote have more than a tiny effect, otherwise it wouldn't be democracy?
If you want power or to make a difference then its best to lobby or join in with politics.
The Americans think "the consbreastution" protects them from would be dictators, I don't think pieces of paper stop dictators, it depends on the military and civil services refusing to stand for it, which in part depends on the armed forces swearing allegiance to the monarchy, (not the PM), who in turn would not support a dictator (?) as happened in Spain a few years ago. . Basically we don't have a dictator because only a very few find it acceptable. Parliament would be a part of that, but would you agree the more presidential and less parliamentary the Prime Minister becomes the more we have a personality cult leader and the slightly higher risk of dictatorship evolving? -- Mike Reid
