Even when the country remained in a state of shock just five days after 77 civilians were murdered, Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg struck a defiant note that would have been unthinkable in many countries. "The Norwegian response to violence is more democracy, more openness and greater political participation," he said. No crackdowns on civil liberties, but a pledge not to allow a fanatic to succeed in eroding Norway's democracy.
Praiseworthy indeed. This is how his article opens:
Would the British political establishment have been able to resist demands for the restoration of the death penalty if such a horrifying massacre had taken place here? Support for capital punishment remains largely passive, but widespread; it occasionally surges in the aftermath of horrifying crimes, particularly when children are involved, such as the Soham murders in 2003.Uh huh, isn't the establishment "resisting demands" of the public pretty much the direct opposite of "more democracy"?
* Think 1970s ideas in a 21st century wrapping.
7 comments:
Is OJ the new Johann Hari? He's certainly very self-assured - expect plenty of more him on Question Time etc.
He's wrong about everything of course, but in quite a plausible way. I once was him wipe the floor with the Telegraph's Ed West in a debate, even though Ed is far more coherent in print.
Along with Laurie Penny he probably is the heir to Hari.
I've never heard Ed West speak but I suppose people can be more effective in print that in words.
Uh huh, isn't the establishment "resisting demands" of the public pretty much the direct opposite of "more democracy"?
Ross, you've been warned before about using logic in your arguments.
Uh huh, isn't the establishment "resisting demands" of the public pretty much the direct opposite of "more democracy"?
Absolutely, it's what we often refer to as "less democracy", but we are just the public.
I think what you are seeing is a member of the elite idealising a foreign country where the ordinary folks are progressive enough to be trusted with democracy, and lamenting the fact that our commoners are reactionary trolls who shouldn't be trusted with the vote. They read the Daily Mail for God's sake!
It's a common theme that Scandinavians are held in high esteem by the BBC/Indie/Guardianistas. Curious how they never seem to find those countries "hideously white".
"idealising a foreign country where the ordinary folks are progressive enough to be trusted with democracy"
So basically Owen Jones wishes that we were enlightened enough to deserve more democracy but we aren't.
Sounds about right.
James & AKH- I know I need to stop being literal when I read the likes of Owen Jones.
'I once was him wipe the floor with the Telegraph's Ed West in a debate, even though Ed is far more coherent in print.'
Jones was on Newsnight a couple of weeks ago- lots of superficial plausibility, but not much depth. A good 'talking head' perhaps, but no good at hard analysis. In the article Ross quoted from he doesn't even get the date of the Soham murders right- how slapdash is that !
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