“Political democracy, judged on its own terms (as a basic political value in itself), is not to be judged (consequentially) in terms of its outcomes (successful or otherwise), but in terms of engagement. This is obviously reflected, quite basically, in… — Paul McLaughlin Copy Share Image
“The provision of news and information, for example, has been ‘dumbed down’ to a previously unimaginable degree, and the line between Hollywood fiction and… — Paul McLaughlin Copy Share Image
“Political democracy, judged on its own terms (as a basic political value in itself), is not to be judged (consequentially) in terms of its… — Paul McLaughlin Copy Share Image
“Bertrand Russell, writing during World War I, castigates intellectuals for exactly this tendency: ‘In modern times, philosophers, professors, and intellectuals generally undertake willingly to… — Paul McLaughlin Copy Share Image
“Then there are spurious intellectual discussions about ‘voter apathy’ and so on, as if such factors could possibly explain and somehow justify massive disengagement… — Paul McLaughlin Copy Share Image
“The familiar claim – or ‘moral’ exhortation – that ‘if you don’t vote, you’ve no right to complain’ surely has it the wrong way… — Paul McLaughlin Copy Share Image