George Monbiot gets all huffy about money in politics, the way in which dodgy businessmen buy influence.
He’s right of course, they do. But he seems to have missed PJ O’Rourke’s point. When legislators decide what can be bought and sold the first thing to be bought and sold will be the legislators.
You’ll not take the money out of politics until you take out the profitability of putting money into politics.
3 responses so far ↓
1 Pogo // Feb 5, 2008 at 11:50 am
I find it somewhat ironic that Monbiot should complain so… Who was it who said that “without his family money and connections, George would probably be a geography teacher…”?
2 Serf // Feb 5, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Dodgy Unions do the same.
3 Roger Thornhill // Feb 5, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Indeed, Tim.
If the State is not the arbiter, it has little value and so is not worth buying.
Leave a Comment