Dismay over democracy: alternative policies for 2017

If militarism is regarded as the means of providing security, then $50 billion spent on 12 new submarines and an untold amount on unproven and hugely expensive joint strike fighters might be justified.  But if citizens’ security is obtained by non-violent means – as in educational and job opportunities and the means of obtaining an affordable home – then expenditure on an arms race fired by the fascination with obtaining the latest weaponry, should be strictly limited.

An even less justifiable expenditure concerns the $1.4 billion a year spent on paying multi-national corporations to contain asylum seekers on Manus Island and Nauru. The death of that policy may be at hand, but the life-long human and financial costs to the hundreds of vulnerable people punished by Australian injustice also needs to be calculated.

Courage for democracy

A new philosophical and political narrative requires the resuscitation of old ideals. In common with Michael Marmot, the French economist Thomas Piketty advocates the promotion of collective interests over private ones. He documents the destructive consequences of immense inequalities of wealth and he argues that betting everything on democracy is the way to regain control of capitalism.

Reviving faith in democracy will also require a view of Australia as an international citizen committed to supporting universal human rights in foreign and domestic policies. Such a commitment requires courage to stand up to the bully boys of international politics. In its sponsorship of the recent UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements as a flagrant violation of international law, New Zealand showed such courage but Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop followed the usual cowardly line by indicating that Australia would have voted against the resolution.   

Taking the opportunities for Australia to re-craft its understanding of the meaning of international citizenship could start with increasing the current niggardly contributions to overseas aid. Advocacy of the human rights of oppressed peoples, such as Tibetans, West Papuans, Palestinians and the people of Western Sahara would have little financial costs but considerable social justice and political benefits.

This social justice, human rights perspective is non-violent, and enhances a country’s self-respect and national identity. The old narrative says Australia is an egalitarian country characterized by mateship. The new narrative needs to implement those claims at home and on an international scale.