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No, there would still be sleze, there would just be a little less financial sleeze.
Power corupts, full stop.
Power corupts, full stop.
Posted: 13:36 Apr 17 2002
Party funding - the answer to Sleaze?
Would it improve things if political parties were state-funded rather than depending on donations?
by DJ Billy
This is pretty much how I remember the '97 election being fought. Sleaze accusations were Labour's number one weapon and the slogans were very much along the lines of 'haven't you had enough of Tory sleaze' rather than 'haven't you had enough of Tory policies'.
This theme seems pretty much to have continued ever since.
6 Replies and 1070 Views in Total.
Posted: 13:36 Apr 17 2002 Well, the vast majority of sleaze (never quite sure exactly what's covered by that word..) which actually affects the ability to govern is financial, surely?
by Cat
No, there would still be sleze, there would just be a little less financial sleeze.
Political parties should not have their policies dictated by who gives them money, and they have to raise their revenue from somewhere. Bans on foreign donations, and caps on how much can be donated certainly help, but to me it seems the only way to stop any suspicion that that is happening is state-funding.
There are, of course, a lot of problems, the main one being - how on earth do you decide which parties qualify for funding, and how much? In principle, though, I think it's a good idea.
So we should wring our hands and accept the inevitable? How about:
Power corupts, full stop.
'Power corrupts, comma, but having accepted that, we should do our best to reduce the avenues through which that corruption occurs, and hinder its ability to affect the government of our country'?
Posted: 14:06 Apr 17 2002
I did have a nicely composed reply to all your points Dan but bt disconnected me in the middel of posting it.
I have neither the time nor patients to re write it now so i'll reply again later when i have calmed down (probably after sending BT a nasty e-mail)
I have neither the time nor patients to re write it now so i'll reply again later when i have calmed down (probably after sending BT a nasty e-mail)
Posted: 18:38 Apr 17 2002 
I'm not so sure that it's power that corrupts so much as power that attracts the corruptible...
Most sleaze isn't financial but personal (usually sexual). As long as we, as a people, are more interested in gossip than politics then we'll get the politicians we deserve. Personally, I couldn't care less if a politician was an adulterous sado-masochistic shoe fetishist as long as they deliver the right policies.
However, I would like to see a state funded election instead of by donation. I agree that this isn't as easy as it sounds, but I'm sure a fair system could be designed.
Most sleaze isn't financial but personal (usually sexual). As long as we, as a people, are more interested in gossip than politics then we'll get the politicians we deserve. Personally, I couldn't care less if a politician was an adulterous sado-masochistic shoe fetishist as long as they deliver the right policies.
However, I would like to see a state funded election instead of by donation. I agree that this isn't as easy as it sounds, but I'm sure a fair system could be designed.
Posted: 21:38 Apr 17 2002 You called? Oops - another outloud moment!!!!
by Jayjay
I couldn't care less if a politician was an adulterous sado-masochistic shoe fetishist as long as they deliver the right policies.
Posted: 21:48 Apr 17 2002 
LMAO!
Posted: 00:13 Apr 19 2002