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Ireland's political and cultural magazine
— June - July 2010
Déirdre de Búrca
, increasingly a discred-
ited profession. The political parties that operate
within the existing system are seen to be part of
the problem, rather than the solution to our gov-
ernance crisis. The prospect of creating a new
political movement represents an opportunity
to realise a better, and fairer society, inspired by
a renewed set of political ideals. This prospect
has an immediate appeal, but it is important to
acknowledge the considerable challenges likely
to confront any new movement aiming to bring
about fundamental political change and reform.
The recent experience of the Green Party in
government is a salutary lesson for any idealistic
and ‘alternative’ political party aspiring to change
the political system from within. The Green Party
is widely seen to have been ‘de-radicalised’ since
entering government and has been willing to sup-
port major policy prescriptions - particularly eco-
nomic prescriptions - that conflict with its own
core political values. This is best described as a
form of political ‘capture’. Smaller parties appear
particularly vulnerable to this phenomenon when
they get power through participation in a coali-
tion government with a larger and more domi-
nant government partner.
The recent and overwhelming crisis in our
banking system presented a unique opportu-
nity for the Green Party to promote the kind of
alternative economic thinking that it has long
championed in opposition. In government,
however, the party has supported responses to
the banking and property crises that could just
as easily have been supported by an unapolo-
getically right- of- centre party such as the
former Progressive Democrats.
The Green Party has done little to stimulate
public discussion, for example, about the proper
role for private banking in the sustainable econ-
omy of the future. It has not availed of opportu-
nities to popularise new and innovative models
of banking, including community banking, that
are being pioneered elsewhere (see www.neweco-
nomics.org ). It has failed to insist that the basic
principles of economic democracy and economic
justice should inform any sustainable economic
model for the future. It has co-operated with
Fianna Fáil in government in providing life- sup-
port to a damaged and unsustainable economic
system in order to perpetuate that system.
In his new book ‘Ill Fares the Land’, the
respected historian Tony Judt argues that con-
temporary political parties of the Left have failed
to articulate a genuine alternative to the current
economic paradigm. He characterises this as
“the obsession with wealth creation, the cult of
privatisation and the private sector, the grow-
ing disparities of rich and poor. And above all,
the rhetoric that accompanies these: uncritical
admiration for unfettered markets, disdain for
the public sector, the delusion of endless growth”
(Judt ). He contends that the crash of
was a reminder that unregulated capitalism is its
own worst enemy, and that sooner or later it must
fall prey to its own excesses and turn again to the
state for rescue.
Judt argues that if our response to the crisis is
limited to picking up the pieces and carrying on
as before, we can look forward to greater upheav-
als in years to come. His message is stark. “It is
incumbent upon us to re-conceive the role of gov-
ernment. If we do not, others will”.
Any new political force that emerges in
Ireland must have a credible economic policy-
agenda that represents more than a regulated
version of the model of global free-market cap-
italism which has failed so
disastrously. This presents
a significant intellec-
tual and political chal-
lenge, given the hegemony
of this model of capitalism
internationally. Ideally, we
need a new political party
to provide strong and effec-
tive government but deriv-
ing from the fullest possible
democratic engagement of
all the stakeholders in soci-
ety. A well- planned, national
citizen engagement and consultation process
would allow members of the public to contrib-
ute to the economic and political regeneration of
this country. The Citizens’ Assembly proposed by
Fine Gael appears to have the potential to begin
to engage citizens more actively in their own gov-
ernance but its ambitions should be well beyond
a talking shop.
In the event that a new party or even a new
political movement does not materialise in
Ireland, it is not impossible that one of the exist-
ing political parties might recognise the impor-
tance of facilitating a structured national process
of political and democratic renewal. That said, a
new and alternative political force is more likely
to be genuinely interested in developing new
forms of participatory democracy. This devel-
opment is essential in order to begin to tackle the
crisis of governance which is the single biggest
political challenge facing our society today.
Déirdre de Búrca resigned as a Green Party senator in
February 2010.
On balance we need a new
political party
A citizens’ forum should be followed by
formation of a new electoral force
“It is incumbent upon us
to re-conceive the role of
government. If we do not,
others will”.
