Why Europeans Can’t Throw A Tea Party – Daniel Hannan’s article in the WSJ

Why Europeans can\'t have a tea party

One feature Hannan highlights in this article which hadn’t occurred to me before in terms of differences between the USA and the rest of Europe in their political systems, is that in the USA members of Congress are chosen by the people, in open primaries, and are not taken from political party lists, whereas in the UK for instance, it is the party leader who chooses generally who may stand for the party in a particular constituency. Within that framework the will of the people cannot be expressed as strongly as when someone is elected free from having been put forward as a candidate by a particular party. For this reason he argues that it is unlikely that we will ever see a tax revolt in the UK, and both parties can continue to govern as they see fit, whilst in power, disregarding popular opinion.

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Author: coldwaterjohn

CWJ travelled extensively with his family, having worked in eleven countries over thirty years. A keen photographer, holding a Private Pilot's Licence, he focuses mainly on landscape and aerial imagery. Having worked in the Middle East extensively he follows developments in that region with particular interest, and views with growing concern, the radicalisation flowing from Islamic fundamentalism, and the intolerance for opposing views, stemming from it.

3 thoughts on “Why Europeans Can’t Throw A Tea Party – Daniel Hannan’s article in the WSJ”

  2. Europeans have their own way of having a “tea party” — that is, completely ignore unloved laws until everyone recognises that they are unenforceable. There is also another way — elect governments like the one in Slovakia which simply doesn’t go along with things.

  3. Paerhaps the French have raised that to a fine art, but I fear Brits would have happily queued for the gas chambers if we had ever been invaded, and were told to – we seem very reticent to dig up the cobblestones and hurl them at authority, because we disagree with something. As Hannan puts it – we seem to have been totally overtaken by the general sense that nothing will change, whatever party we vote for.

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