When Democracy Turns to Kleptocracy

Buck Emberg

By seemingly quiet and covert cunning, many of our present politicians, male and female, have changed the political rules while telling each other that they operate openly as democrats who believe in the rule of law. The problem is that they say they are “democrats” so often that they believe themselves, which is the most insidious step to self-deception. Checks and balances have been shattered. Democracy has been lost. Kleptocracy, or government by stealth, has replaced the former system. The government of Tasmania assumes that with their “mandate” they are given the rights to do what they wish until the next election. In Tasmania we are being confronted by a new type of government. I call this a “Kleptocracy” or, “a democracy by theft”.

IT HAS been an enjoyable learning curve during the past half century to have a working relationship with a number of politicians in the USA, Canada and Australia. For the most part they have been approachable, responsive and helpful. Vice President Hubert Humphrey lived his life to talk and debate. Premier David Barrett of British Columbia was a passionate socialist who treasured philosophical discussions. Harry Holgate and Michael Field, premiers of Tasmania, enjoyed to project the “what if’s” of politics.

Best of all, these men were open minded and devoted to government under the people.

By seemingly quiet and covert cunning, many of our present politicians, male and female, have changed the political rules while telling each other that they operate openly as democrats who believe in the rule of law. The problem is that they say they are “democrats” so often that they believe themselves, which is the most insidious step to self-deception.

In Tasmania we are being confronted by a new type of government. I call this a “Kleptocracy” or, “a democracy by theft”. For example: I was unnerved by forestry meetings of ten to twelve people held in our forest home fifteen years ago. “This is a new era,” many naive residents said as we met with government officials, forestry people and ‘others’. It was explained by the conveners that we were about to launch into a new era of co-operation between people and government. “We are going to listen like never before” they opined. The smell of Danish cheese rose to my nostrils. I was wary of those business people who attended the meetings in suits with obviously removed ties to prove they were simple citizens. A few members of forestry unions strangely attended as well.

It was soon obvious that anti-forest laws were being passed as we conferred. Our participation as citizens was window dressing. Tasmanian forests were about to be bartered! Long before the Regional Forestry Agreement was made law it was apparent that the people had been duded behind the ear with a baseball bat. To put it another way, business/government/unions had slipped into our bed. We would have a hard time getting them out. The public could be damned!

Tasmanian Governments of the future would do what they wished as a new troika developed: Government, Business and Unions. They would be the new Kleptocracy. And to think that much of it started in our own kitchen, in the Tasmanian bush.

Fast forward to The Tasmanian Lennon Government. “We have a mandate!” they shout. Here is where the Kleptocracy surreptitiously crept and crawled into new corners. The government of Tasmania assumes that with their “mandate” they are given the rights to do what they wish until the next election.

That is neither mandate nor democracy. The people must continue to be heard but we have been locked out by our politicians and a weak and willing Opposition is in basic agreement with the government. Checks and balances have been shattered. Democracy has been lost. Kleptocracy, or government by stealth, has replaced the former system.

The new Kleptocracy hires its own like-minders who give advice that is curiously agreeable. Hence, the Kleptocracy is now advanced by new government workers: the Kleptocrats!

These Kleptocrats now find themselves in position to hire the judges and magistrates and who knows who next?.

The road back to a Tasmanian democracy will be difficult and the goal of the citizens is to remove the Kleptocracy and their Kleptocrats who have been slowly shoplifting our whole democratic system.

We have a state to win.

Buck Emberg is a PhD Candidate in History at the University of Tasmania