A code of minimal respect – Ranier Fsadni
Knowing that we have a problem is not the same as knowing what the problem is. And some problems need time to be properly understood. So how do we deal with a problem we don’t yet understand? Ideally, we take the necessary steps to contain it. We proceed carefully, making sure we don’t make things worse. Our national problem of political polarisation and increasingly vitriolic public discourse might seem to be a problem we know well. But do we really? The combination of three factors make it more complex than it’s usually presented. First, both major political parties are facing problems of internal division and less reliable support from their usual base. But can we be sure this is unusual and not a cyclical matter? When parties enter their eighth year of government, like Labour, they often experience flaking support. It’s why two-term governments are usually the democratic norm. Political parties in opposition after a long period in government often enter a downward spiral of factionalism, as the Nationalist Party has. Both political parties have also had changes of leadership in divisive circumstances. Such changes usually leave wounds that take long to heal. Second, it’s...