We live in a Kakistocracy

[SirGalahad]

A kakistocracy is a system of government that is run by the worst, least qualified, and/or most unscrupulous citizens. The word was coined as early as the seventeenth century.

Long live the Kakistocracy!

As another senior civil servant resigns in

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54073836

'We expect everybody in this country to obey the law' - Boris Johnson in PMQs

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54073836

Minister admits the UK will be breaking Intl Law.

 

[ellal]

And we are apparently to be 'patrolled' by 'covid-secure marshals'...

Good luck with that one!

We could of course simply follow government guidance that one can break any particular law that we may disagree with at will...

 

[mitch66]

Ringadingafukinding zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

[Notch7]

Ringadingafukinding zzzzzzzzzzzz

Mitch66 voted for this shambolic bunch.

So he pretends not to understand

 

[KenGMac]

The present Westminster "Government" is by far and away the best boost the SNP could ever wish for, as for its leader, as for its leader??? keep on digging Boris, the various holes are not just quite deep enough yet.

 

[noseall]

So he pretends not to understand

Pretends?

 

[JohnD]

 

[ellal]

keep on digging Boris, the various holes are not just quite deep enough yet.

The 'hole' borisconi possesses is rather large...

In fact it's so large that it's more likely that monkeys would type out the entire works of shakespeare than the amount of times he's shoved his head up it!

 

[motorbiking]

A kakistocracy is a system of government that is run by the worst, least qualified, and/or most unscrupulous citizens.

When wasn't it like this?

Public sector has always had the left overs from the commercial sector in terms of talent.
Councillors, committee leaders, chair of chamber of commerce etc.. All totally unqualified for the roles and usually outgunned.
How does an avg. Jo even become an MP? Not much chance.

So if the government doesn't have access to a broad talent pool, how can it ever expect to perform the best it can?

The talented people are out building business and working hard to secure their own destiny.

 

[SirGalahad]

When wasn't it like this?

Public sector has always had the left overs from the commercial sector in terms of talent.
Councillors, committee leaders, chair of chamber of commerce etc.. All totally unqualified for the roles and usually outgunned.
How does an avg. Jo even become an MP? Not much chance.

So if the government doesn't have access to a broad talent pool, how can it ever expect to perform the best it can?

The talented people are out building business and working hard to secure their own destiny.

Revisionism.

Your analysis is based on a premise that Governments should be run like businesses. An idea that had been debunked decades ago but now with the internet and FB these old tired ideas are seen by fresh eyes and are reanimated again as solutions.

Governments exist because the market will not provide public goods and services.

Sir Jonathan Jones who just quit - he will earn multiples what he did whilst a public servant so it looks like the public sector got him cheap or the private sector are overpaying?

Can you tell me when the last recession was caused by a Government?

The private sector has a role to play in allocating resources but in that process there is waste and re-allocation - as Schumpeter descrives as waves of creative destruction. It is not a panacea for delivering every good and service.

 

[motorbiking]

We are talking about talent, not whether governments should be outsourced or run like a business.

You seem to be presenting the problem as something new and a conservative government issue. I say its been like this a long time. Individuals get away with being poorly skilled and qualified because there is minimal competition or market forces. In the commercial sector, these businesses fail and better companies succeed. Thats why the private sector recruits the top talent and the public sector gets the left overs. I can think of great public servants and rubbish private sector talent. Lots in fact - they are still the outliers.

 

[JohnD]

So if the government doesn't have access to a broad talent pool, how can it ever expect to perform the best it can?

certainly not in the way the Cummings government acts, by getting rid of the competent people.