By uniting behind one progressive parliamentary candidate, voters in the south Devon seat are hoping to effect change here and beyond
Trust no one, trust everyone: this paradox is the foundational principle of democracy. We should not trust any politician’s promises until they’ve been delivered. We should not trust anyone to represent us without constant pressure and feedback. But we should trust society as a whole – trust everyone – to make choices for the good of all. Otherwise we would need a different system.
The problem is that the will of those we should trust – each other – is constantly thwarted by the will of those we shouldn’t. Political and electoral systems, governed from the centre, are designed to grant us a semblance of ownership and control, while depriving us of real power. The political parties that claim to represent us too often respond instead to the demands of the powerful: media barons, corporations, party funders. In extreme cases, such as the UK’s current government, they are reduced to corporate lobbyists, delivering the country to the most antisocial interests.
George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist
