Malcolm Turnbull and politicians

Vanguard October 2012 p. 3

Malcolm Turnbull’s salvo against politicians in Australia has been timely. Not that there is anything new here.  Most Australians know that politicians have been a crooked lot for years.

It’s just that in recent times this has become worse. Not too surprising given the reality that this sorry lot find they are operating in more difficult and less predictable conditions than they have experienced for many years. There is less room for subtlety.

Turnbull’s targeted ‘cynical politics,” lamenting on the observation that there is a “deficit of trust,” as they go about in an environment where “… incentives to be untruthful and purposely mislead are so great, and the adverse consequences of such behaviour are so modest.” This is a fancy way of saying that they are a bunch of protected con artists.

He also pointed out the habit of avoiding issues that are important to the Australian people, through bipartisan diversion, spin and misrepresentation by Labor and the Coalition. As a consequence, Australians do not trust politicians and parliament.

“If you love your country…, and care deeply about our nation’s future, there is nothing more certain to arouse your fury and invite your contempt than listening to an entire House of Representatives question time,” Mr Turnbull said.

Turnbull has shown an extremely rare degree of honesty. He calls it like he sees it. Where we must disagree is in the belief of the possibility of turning this around through appeal or a change of parliamentary rules. Turnbull remains in the grip of his class status and does not understand that the problem has a material basis. It is inherent in the social relations that produce the class outlook of capitalism.

Parliament itself is an institution of capitalism that works to serve capitalism. By and large, those who are enmeshed in it accept capitalism and embrace all that it stands for, like service of self. Big business allows politicians to serve in parliament so long as they render service in furthering the interests of big business. If they fail, they are hounded out.

Politicians take up a lifestyle where they rub shoulders with the rich and powerful. They do not associate with ordinary people. It has an effect. So does the illusion that the real business of the day is carried out in parliament and not in the boardrooms and other institutions. Capitalism is corrupt and it entangles its servants with this corruption.

Politics of the collective

Contrast this with the daily activity and cooperation of millions of wage earners. This is what makes the wheels go around. Add the tens of thousands of volunteers, carrying out a thousand and one services.

Out this emerges politics of a different kind. This politics is cooperative, and exists to serve the collective need of the majority, and because of this is truly democratic. This politics has faith in people. Parliamentary politics fears people, and takes on deception and deceit as the normal way of operating.

When the alternative politics of the people involves conscious collective action to defend and extend the interests of the majority, it is raised to a higher level. Only by emphasising conscious action of the majority outside parliament can the real issues be taken on in earnest. Only on this basis can corrupted politicians be put out of business. Only on this basis can an alternative future be built.

Present circumstances provide great opportunities to make significant headway. Every effort must be put into raising the conscious action of the people, the achievement of greater clarity about the way forward, and developing new and appropriate organisational forms. 

Communists and their organisation play an important role in this, so long as they are imbued with the spirit of service to the people, clear-sightedness and the courage to act as the situation demands.