Rachel Stewart

Are we in the dying days of democracy and, if so, can humanity survive it? There is so much crazy, weird bizarro flitting all around us like a flapping demon, it’d be hard to seriously make the case against it.

In a world gone mad — or, at least, out and proudly neoliberal — democratic values appear to have entered the ever-tightening circles of the death spiral. The ground is fast rising up to meet them.

From scientists marching through the world’s streets to remind politicians why they’re still relevant, to women marching to remind male legislators of the very same, it’s beyond crystal clear. Houston, we have a problem.

If society feels less moral reverence to the democracy ideal, who can honestly blame them? Having listened to Clinton and Trump battle it out for a year before the unthinkable became real, I get it.

Realising how the Democratic Party fiddled with the dials and switches to ensure Bernie Sanders never got the nod has left squillions of folks so cold as to refreeze the Arctic.

Knowing that right now, out in the big wide world, are a bunch of leaders who either weren’t elected by the people, or were dubiously so. Putin, May, Erdogan, Mugabe, Assad, to name a few.

Then there’s Trump. Astonishingly elected, but by fewer than three million votes than his rival. Only in America. Land of the seriously deficient electoral system. It’s going to take some time turning that ship of state around.

Here at home we find we’re stuck with the lacklustre Mr English as Prime Minister, and not of our choosing. He was the pre-ordained prefect left to us by Key when he exited stage right. Yeah, the Nats held an internal mock election but that’s all it was. The appearance of democracy when you’re not really having it.

Indeed, our fair land does not fare well in the democracy stakes. Despite political party zealots all primed and pumped for the looming election, the electorate may not share their jaunty enthusiasm.

Enduring years and years of corporatocracy winning over democracy does that to voters. It dulls the desire to identify with any political tribe. Watching the steady drip of public wealth — think water, for a start — transferred into private hands has turned many a stomach, and a few worms. Like me.

Then add in the homeless; families living in cars before they get put up in a motel paid for by us, in a kind of merry-go-round of false economy and galloping governmental geldings who wouldn’t know a testicle if they tripped over one.

Because democracy should mean elected people looking after people. Instead it has morphed into elected people looking after unelected corporate interests, and themselves. They have fallen for the neoliberal neonicotinoid. If you think bees are in trouble maybe have a good look around at the current state of humanity.

And before you get all partisan, and tell me that a change of government will put paid to all this greed and avarice, I must thrust the snuff box under your nostrils.

New Zealand is not some isolated paradise swathed in patchouli and flying unicorns. Our so-called democracy is not somehow special or different. We may be slightly behind the world’s infectious undemocratic disease but, like everything, we always catch up.

It’s clear that in some things we’re even slightly ahead. Domestic violence, inequality, teen suicide, water pollution, species extinction, inaction on climate change — yeah, we’re winning big.

So, democracy devotees, you can talk all you like about what your lot are going to do when they get elected but, frankly, talk is easy. You can dress up to the nines, all Soprano-esque, on the cover of a glossy magazine if you want. I won’t be swimming with your fishes.

In case you think I’m going the full Russell Brand, please don’t interpret my words as some sort of call to abstain from voting. I have always voted and likely always will. That’s probably because I’m educated, white and privileged. And socialised from birth to do it. I also know that voting is now about as pointless as rooting for your favourite rugby team to win. It’s fleeting, ultimately quite meaningless, and changes nothing much in the overall scheme of things. It’s essentially just tribalism.

If I thought that most politicians were serving the folks who put them there, and not the powerful money grubbers who both run the world while destroying it, I’d likely enjoy giving their box a tick. As it stands, I’m leaning more towards giving them all the great, big flick.

I hear the perennial cry. “But what would we replace our precious democracy with?” Look around.

We haven’t actually had it for a while.

Now, let us pray.