Ask the Leader: Liberal Democrats

You can vote for us (or anyone else for that matter) in the TSR General Election HERE

Spoiler

(edited 5 years ago)

Reply 2

Nobody wants to ask me stuff. :puppyeyes:

Reply 3

DrMikeHuntHertz

16

Why do you have a communist/terrorist as your avatar?

Reply 4

Original post by DrMikeHuntHertz

Why do you have a communist/terrorist as your avatar?

Because I've had him as an avatar for nearly 4 years, therefore have become known on the site by this avatar; that and he has a nice face. :smile:

Reply 5

Connor27

19

Does the member believe that free markets and liberal democracy are compatible?

@04MR17

Reply 6

DrMikeHuntHertz

16

Original post by 04MR17

Because I've had him as an avatar for nearly 4 years, therefore have become known on the site by this avatar; that and he has a nice face. :smile:

Haha, I like how you didn't take issue with what I said about him, maybe I'll have to reconsider my Osama Bin Laden avatar.

Reply 7

Original post by Connor27

Does the member believe that free markets and liberal democracy are compatible?

@04MR17

In a word yes. A 100% application of free markets I don't see as practical or pragmatic, but I'd like to see them applied wherever possible. I am a firm believer in democracy, despite how awful it can be.

Reply 8

Original post by DrMikeHuntHertz

Haha, I like how you didn't take issue with what I said about him, maybe I'll have to reconsider my Osama Bin Laden avatar.

That'd just cause unnecessary conflict. You're entitled to use whichever avatar you wish (provided it doesn't break the rules :wink:

).

Reply 9

Connor27

19

Original post by 04MR17

In a word yes. A 100% application of free markets I don't see as practical or pragmatic, but I'd like to see them applied wherever possible. I am a firm believer in democracy, despite how awful it can be.

As my follow up question then; what are the member’s thoughts on the findings of political scientist Bruce de Mesquita of New York University, who established a causality between a larger welfare state (and therefore less free markets) and how democratic a country is?

Reply 10

imperium_viribus

6

How are the Liberal Democrats of today in any way whatsoever distinguishable from Blairites within the Labour Party?

Reply 11

Original post by imperium_viribus

How are the Liberal Democrats of today in any way whatsoever distinguishable from Blairites within the Labour Party?

Real life:
The Blairites within the Labour party have ambitions for Downing Street. The Liberal Democrats, whilst being ambitious/optimistic, are not going to get a commons majority at the next General Election. Their policies are primarily in the interests of the nation, rather than what they believe they can be elected upon, which is perhaps different to Blairite Labour.

On TSR:
The TSR Liberal Democrats have a far more relaxed whipping process than the Labour party had/has had. We believe in our members having the right to vote as they wish and no opinions should be stifled due to it not conforming to the "party line". Our legislation is written by members, and approved by members so that none of us are supporting things we disagree with.

Reply 12

Original post by Connor27

As my follow up question then; what are the member’s thoughts on the findings of political scientist Bruce de Mesquita of New York University, who established a causality between a larger welfare state (and therefore less free markets) and how democratic a country is?

The findings are logical. Societies with a welfare state clearly have a governmental structure which places more value on individual citizens and seeks to support them financially. Those societies are less likely to be authoritarian dictatorships, and therefore more likely to be democratic, since democracy is after all a process that puts value, and gives power to, citizens of a society.

Reply 13

@PetrosAC , as the newly elected leader of the TSR Liberal Democrats, may be happy to answer questions with added details, or answer further questions. :smile:

I will also be around to answer questions and give thoughts where I can. :smile:

Reply 14

PetrosAC

20

Original post by imperium_viribus

How are the Liberal Democrats of today in any way whatsoever distinguishable from Blairites within the Labour Party?

Ultimately, it's about a genuine belief in Liberalism. I think Blairites are defined moreso by their economic policy (centrism) than their social beliefs (which I'd argue aren't liberal ideologically, especially if you take the Terrorism Act as an example) whilst the Liberal Democrats are, or at least should be, defined moreso by their belief in Liberalism as opposed so our centrist-ish economics.

Reply 15

imperium_viribus

6

Original post by PetrosAC

Ultimately, it's about a genuine belief in Liberalism. I think Blairites are defined moreso by their economic policy (centrism) than their social beliefs (which I'd argue aren't liberal ideologically, especially if you take the Terrorism Act as an example) whilst the Liberal Democrats are, or at least should be, defined moreso by their belief in Liberalism as opposed so our centrist-ish economics.

So you seem to be saying that the Liberal Democrats are more distinguished because of their social liberalism but from my understanding, on issues other than national security and perhaps drugs (though even this issue is seeing rapid change in sentiment), there is already a socially liberal consensus amongst both major big parties. The Tories aren't exactly trying to ban abortion or bring back the death penalty. With this in mind, wouldn't you say that the creation of the Liberal Democrats was a historical accident (SDP split from Labour, "Gang of Four") which has somehow persisted to this day?

Reply 16

Original post by imperium_viribus

With this in mind, wouldn't you say that the creation of the Liberal Democrats was a historical accident (SDP split from Labour, "Gang of Four") which has somehow persisted to this day?

I will let Petros answer your first point but it's worth pointing out that the Liberal Democrats as a party goes back well beyond the formation of Labour, never mind it's split. That the Liberal Democrats seek their modern origins from those dates but that the party was "created" long ago

In real life that is, not the TSR equivalent.

Reply 17

Saunders16

14

Could the leader of the Liberal Democrats please elaborate on the party's position on Brexit, following the confusion caused by previously electing a heavily pro-Brexit leader?

Reply 18