Chapter I
1. It is certainly better than an aristocracy.
2. It is certainly better than what came before.
3. It is certainly better than communism in practice.
4. But late twentieth century democracy was still a long way from the ideal it purports to represent.
5. True representation inside the party system of democracy is a theoretical possibility.
6. But true representation inside the party system is a practical impossibility in the medium term.
7. The true idea of politics is a simple one, the greatest benefit for the greatest majority;
8. But like so many simple ideas, this idea has been warped.
9. The perception of politics, from the time of the very earliest systems, is that it is a means to obtaining power, but for democracy in the modern age this is true only to a limited degree.
10. True power is owed, it does not owe, and all those who enter politics in the modern democratic age, owe, sometimes a great deal, and sometimes to a great many.
11. But the perception remains, and those who seek power gravitate towards politics or commerce, depending on the strength of their talents and the strength of their character.
12. As an almost absolute rule, those who are interested in the welfare of others have no interest in power as an end;
13. And even fewer who are interested in the welfare of others would choose to apprehend power enough to understand its use purely as a means.
14. As an almost absolute rule, those who are interested in power are monumentally self-centered, and will sacrifice others interests to satisfy their own, without exception.
15. Some will "grow up" after they obtain a certain amount of power, but such are exceptions.
16. Politics is the easiest way to obtain power in this world,
17. And because of this, and because of the nature of such people, the greater majority of politicians are people who are interested in power.
18. The Party system acts as a filter.
19. It filters out those who are not self-centered;
20. It filters out the idealists who are not easily controlled;
21. It filters out those with strongly held views;
22. It filters out those with strongly held principles;
23. It filters out the most ethical;
24. It filters out the most altruistic;
25. It filters out those with character;
26. It filters out the strong minded in our species;
27. And the word "filters" is a very generous usage in this context.
28. It is not meant to suggest that late twentieth century politics is devoid of positive idealism, right (good) thinking, good principles, ethics, morals and altruism.
29. Quite the opposite.
30. Politics, and more specifically, Party Politics, is full of these things, but they have all been subordinated for use as tools to obtain advantage or to win a game, whatever game is being played at that moment.
31. This warped usage is both a symptom and a cause of the wrong thinking that plagues the political system, and infects every other area of our society.
32. The adversarial system that many are so proud of turns important issues into a game, a competition, where there must be a winner and a loser.
33. The adversarial system, whose shortcomings are so very evident in the outcome of political decisions when analyzed, and are so very obvious in our judicial system, and most obviously in the American judicial system, needs to go.
34. When democracy moves beyond the Party system the whole nature of politics will change for the better, but only if it moves towards true representation.
35. When democracy moves towards true representation the adversarial will slowly dissipate, and will move away from the focus on winning or losing.
36. But attention is needed, because without it we will move even further away from true representation;
37. And the further we move away from true representation, the more adversarial the system will become.
38. The winners will win more but their numbers will decline, and the losers will swell in number;
39. This is no great wisdom to apprehend.