Democracy in England: Possible and Necessary
Hugo de Burgh with Jonathan Dibb, Laura Mainwaring, Luke Nightingale, September 2015
There is a perception that England’s political settlement, which was the foundation for its economic and cultural advance and an inspiration to the world, is disintegrating. Many believe that ‘the people’ must take back power from the political class, not only because it is dysfunctional, but because the digital age has made possible greater participation and democracy.
England’s rise and the success of our economy and culture were consequences of our very particular political settlement. If we abandon that, then we are unlikely to solve our economic woes, let alone thrive in the very different world that is coming about, in which non-Anglophone countries may set the pace and the terms.
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