JOHN de COURCY
Sir, - Martin Mansergh (December 24th) exudes self-confidence with an accompanying touch of arrogance.
To what extent is what he calls democracy (i.e. rule by the people) real? In fact, parliamentary government is only a step towards real rule by all citizens. How many citizens have actually been consulted by the Government about the policies it is following since the last election (or before it indeed) and how many local citizens were informed by their local councils what policy they would introduce when elected? And the opinions of how many have been sought since that election?
Neither the Government nor my local council has bothered to seek my opinion on anything. You get consulted only when chosen by some member of the governing body, as Mr Mansergh evidently was, and you are then paid. Charming, but no different than under Mussolini or Stalin, and certainly not democracy.
It there any way of bringing a government or local council to book if it fails to carry out some policy it pledged to implement while being elected?
Does Mr Mansergh mean to tell us that powerful economic institutions have no more influence on authority than groups of less pecunious citizens with the same numerical strength?
The policies of US governments in many parts of America during my 90 years of existence, some witnessed on the spot, singularly resembled imperialism. A recent BBC television programme showed US government officials who actually participated in the terrorism that succeeded in thwarting the patently expressed will of the Guatemalan people.
I believe your readers would believe Mr Mansergh was more worth attention if he were less cocksure of his infallibility. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN de COURCY IRELAND,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.