Achieving accountable government
Resistance will come. But will Trump heed it? Lessons from Arendt and Skowronek
Mere weeks into his presidency, commentators are already having difficulties in characterising Donald Trump’s administration. Daniel Kato says rereading Hannah Arendt and Stephen Skowronek may provide some clues in deciphering the new president’s behaviour. Skowronek’s writings point to an ‘institutional thickening’ that may continue to emerge to check Trump, as it has done with out-of-control presidents in […]
Submarine May can’t slip back under the waves. Keeping Brexit negotiations secret is impossible
The story of Brexit has been that of a would-be secretive government forced to become more open about its intentions, writes Ben Worthy. Pressure from select committees, the media and freedom of information requests – compounded by a stream of leaks – means we now know what kind of Brexit we will have. But he […]
What would voters be asked in a second EU referendum – and would they get it?
If – and it’s a big if – the government were to call a second EU referendum, what question would it ask? And would it be able to deliver the answer? In this extract from a new UCL European Institute working paper, Alan Renwick examines the likelihood, terms and outcome of any ‘second round’ vote. […]
‘But what are you protesting FOR?’ What democracy means to those who protest for it
Drawing on research in four capital cities, Armine Ishkanian explains how activists view democracy. She explains why protesters often reject representative democracy in favour of more direct forms – giving them something in common with the right-wing populist movements that elected Donald Trump and helped lead to the Brexit vote. Large-scale public protest is likely to […]
It’s time for an end to special religious privileges: we need a secular state
Should the Anglican peers in the Lords be joined by religious leaders from other faiths? Ought the BBC be required to make religious programmes? Should religious groups enjoy more legal protection? The Commission on Religion and Belief in British Public Life set out 37 recommendations – which, argues Steven Kettell, are deeply problematic in a society […]
Book review | Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government
In Democracy for Realists: Why Elections Do Not Produce Responsive Government, Christopher H. Achen and Larry M. Bartels challenge the ‘folk’ version of democracy that presumes that voting is undertaken by the ‘omnipotent, sovereign citizen’. Instead, they argue that voters tend to base their decision-making on partisan loyalties, leaving the current democratic system open to […]
Contrary to recent reports, coups are not a catalyst for democracy
Coups used to be associated with the rise of dictatorial regimes – but since the Cold War, many have been followed by elections. Yet the regimes that emerge are often undemocratic. Oisín Tansey says these elections are frequently window-dressing and are held in order to secure favourable trade deals and placate international organisations. More often than not, coups […]
After the 2 March election, the Northern Ireland settlement needs a rethink
The Northern Ireland Assembly election on 2 March is likely to be followed by a difficult political negotiation. Alan Whysall argues that it must not be mere political sticking plaster. There is no real alternative to the basic architecture of the institutions, but there are fundamental issues to be dealt with about the way they […]
The post-fact world: six steps you can take to fight back
How did we come to be living in a ‘post-fact’ world? Who or what is responsible for the breakdown in trust in fact-generating institutions? Crucially, what can we do about it? In this edited extract from a lecture delivered at several US universities, Mary Poovey, author of A History of the Modern Fact and of […]
The ‘academy revolution’ is ousting governors. We need to hold these schools accountable
As more and more schools are removed from local authority control and become academies, the role of governors has diminished – and with it a school’s accountability to local people, argues Andy Allen. Contrary to the aim of the ‘school revolution’, multi-academy trusts are not autonomous at all, but answerable to a few unelected trustees. He […]
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