First Drafts for Motions for Future Green Party Conferences
David Wyllie
Allowing the Emergence of New and Genuine Means of Policing
The easy option is to accept the Peelian paramilitary model. All round the world, policing is based on the structure established by Robert Peel for London in 1829, and there is almost no discussion among politicians about whether that is a suitable model for the 21. century or for the ostensible objectives of policing. On the contrary, politicians are aware that support for the 'police' is one of the currencies by which they purchase votes, which is what Robert Peel seems to have intended (and ties in very nicely with the other major vote-buyer, support for the motorist).
All the literature on the subject confirm that Peelian paramilitary policing does not work. There is an urgent need to fundamentally re-think methods of law enforcement and social order. The Green Party, despite the short term psephological cost, should declare no confidence in Peelian paramilitary policing and consider alternative methods of fostering a peaceful and crime free society.
(I've suggested some ways of getting things started at http://www.finitesite.com/dandelion/GPolice.html)
Change of Party Name
The word ‘green’ is a disaster: naïve, immature, rustic, credulous, inexperienced ... Even worse, the lack of genuine political meaning makes it possible for people such as David Cameron and Ford Motors to apply the word to everything they do, and for measures to be called ‘green’ which are intended to support consumerism and conceal its real costs. Many members would agree that our real objective is not a superficial cleaning up of the environment but to progress out of the economic system that creates so much dirt and waste in the first place. In order to make it clear to the electorate and others that this party is fundamentally different from consumerist parties, and that that basic approach comprises a number of different groupings with different views about matters such as wealth distribution the name should be altered to something like 'Post-Consumerist Alliance'. In order to maintain some continuity and because some members will feel attached to being green it might be best to include that word in the title. Considering the urgency of the matter before we all drown, and to stress the folly of the palliatives being applied, the inclusion of a word such as 'emergency' might be useful.