Restoring Democracy

When the Ancient Greeks invented democracy they meant government by the important people for the important people. Something has been lost in the translation down the years and now every Tom, Dick and Harry thinks that he has the right to interfere in politics.

At present, we are paying political newcomers a lot more than they are worth to us. This makes it a realistic career option for professional and managerial types who know far too much and will not fall into line when we tell them. However, being a man of wisdom and vision, I have come up with an answer.

I propose that we cut the salary right down for the new boys to fund much deserved increases for us ministers. After all, we are the ones who have to struggle through gruelling fact-finding visits and banquets for visiting dignitaries, as well as signing off our civil servants' reports and cultivating essential business relationships in restaurants and golf clubs.

Not only would it mean more for us though. The really clever bit is that it would price out all the family men and career women. We would move back to the golden age when apart from the odd token housewife or pensioner, only businessmen who had made their pile and scions of wealthy families like myself could afford to become politicians.

Just think how much better we could run things then. The Athenian ideal would return for us.