Political parties were meant to serve the people, but in today’s climate, they resemble warring tribes more than democratic institutions. Blind loyalty has replaced independent thought, and dissent is met with hostility, not debate.
Leaders demand absolute obedience, punishing those who stray from the party line.
But history warns us - when a tribe values survival over truth, it eventually turns inward, consuming its own members in a spiral of self-destruction. Are we watching the slow implosion of party politics, and if so, what comes next?
We humans have always been tribal creatures. There’s even an idea called Dunbar’s Number, which suggests humans can only maintain meaningful relationships with about 150 people. Beyond that, social cohesion starts to break down, and factions form.
When a tribe (or nation, political party, or ideology) becomes too large , it often loses its ability to maintain genuine unity. Instead of doing the job it was supposed to do, it strays opff the truth and wanders into strange and unfamiliar places.
Today, politics and even businesses have become a happy happy let's all go to the beach and have a yoga session, and things go south pretty smartly.
Factions erupt and before you know it, people are arguing over yoga, venues for the next corporate retreat and should snacks be served before or after the $1500 welcome to our country/yoga retreat/corporate retreat... yes. all about RETREAT. No mention of going forward. Not a whisper about what the Tribe actually came together in the first place for... to grow and go forward... it is all almost as if we are conditioned to retreat rather than tally ho and meet our issues head on.
No one seems to worry about if the business is profitable and if the government is doing its job of representing THE PEOPLE who elected it.
A top-down control, that sometimes uses force to maintain order. This is when leadership stops being about shared vision and turns into something more despotic...no one gives a bugger about the yoga class anymore and, instead, we are distracted by the yoga mats, whether they are sustainable and how many disenfranchised pygmy lesbian members of the Bonga Bonga tribe in Doo Lally Tap Land perished to bring them to you via some sweatshop in China.
When I started to read this to Redhead, she told me she was distracted because her gardener was outside pulling weeds and she could not concentrate. Suddenly, a light bulb went off in my head. Isn't this what is happening today?
We are being distracted. You see, our so called leaders don't care about us. And that my friends is disturbing.
To be honest, this is a problem. A big one. When we see what is going on outside our windows, we are no longer allowed to poison the weeds or take them out and put them in the bin. In fact, our government, yes, our government, tells us, and orders us to not only keep the weeds but actually make sure that they are protected..... in fact, those weeds are becoming protected. Redhead gave a bottle of Bundaberg Ginger Beer to her gardener which he drank with great gusto. I have to wonder if in years to come this could require a permit and a license fee to provide beverages to a tradesperson whilst on private property having maintained council property without permission. Give me a bloody break.
Our greatest problem in Australia right now is that our government is telling us to close our curtains, preserve the weeds, and under no circumstances give the hard working Aussie worker a bundy ginger beer because that is racist or offensive to any Aboriginal yoga guru wanting to do a stretch on a mat on a block of land that some " faux abo " might decide is now part of bloody doo lally tap didgeridoo land.
'where have you been? It's alright we know where you've been...'
You think I am joking?
I am not. Tribalism is alive, real and active.
In my opinion, tribalism is now about constant division...splitting people into endless categories and grievances while the real decision-makers avoid scrutiny. Functional tribalism that kept societies together in the past is over... instead of being about shared purpose, it’s now about constant division - splitting people into endless categories and grievances while the real decision-makers avoid scrutiny.
They actually want us to fight so they can get on with their agenda.
Our politics is tribal. Throughout western culture, we have two big tribes competing for power every few years and some smaller tribes trying to rally support and gain traction by enticing members of the two big tribes to break ranks and come over and join them.
The idea of political parties as organised groups competing for power in a government emerged in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. However, factionalism, where groups with different interests competed for influence, has existed since ancient times. Political divisions existed in Athens and the Roman Republic, with aristocratic and populist factions vying for control. In Rome, groups like the Optimates (senatorial elite) and Populares (supporters of the common people) resembled early political factions. Monarchies had factions of nobles competing for influence, but these were not formal parties.
The Whigs and Tories emerged during the English Civil War (1642–1651) and the Glorious Revolution (1688). These became the first recognisable political parties. The Federalists (led by Alexander Hamilton) and the Democratic-Republicans (led by Thomas Jefferson) formed the first party system in the 1790s. As democratic systems developed, people needed structured groups to advocate for policies.
How is that going Keir Starmer?
George Washington strongly opposed political parties and warned against their dangers in his Farewell Address (1796). He believed that party politics would divide the nation, lead to corruption, and undermine the government’s ability to serve the people. Washington feared that parties would create factions that prioritised their own power over the nation’s well-being. He saw them as a threat to the unity and stability of the young United States.
He warned that political parties could allow ambitious individuals to manipulate the system for their own gain, rather than serving the people. He believed parties could make the U.S. more vulnerable to foreign influence, as different factions might align with foreign powers for their own advantage. Despite his concerns, political parties quickly formed.
By the time of Washington’s presidency, party divisions were already growing, and by the 1800 election, they had fully taken root. Washington’s vision was for a government based on national unity rather than party loyalty. However, his warnings went unheeded, and party politics became a defining feature of American democracy. Political parties helped organise voters and candidates, making large-scale governance possible. Parties formed around key issues like monarchy vs. republicanism, centralisation vs. decentralisation, and free trade vs. protectionism. While factions have existed throughout history, modern political parties as structured organisations arose in the 17th and 18th centuries with the expansion of parliamentary democracy. If Americans had only listened to his advice about "parties". Magna Carta also warned of "gangs" and yet, here we are fooled over and over again.
Party politics can easily become tribal warfare, where loyalty to the "tribe" (political party) overrides reason, independent thought, and even the well-being of the nation. Instead of serving the people, parties can become self-perpetuating machines, protecting their own power at all costs, even if it means turning on their own members.
Instead of encouraging open debate, parties often demand strict ideological loyalty. If a member deviates from the party line, they risk being ostracised or attacked by their own side. Parties often focus on winning the next election rather than crafting sustainable policies. The result? The Tribe actually cannabilises itself. The party exists to protect itself, not the people.
George Washington’s warning about party politics was essentially a warning against tribalism. When loyalty to a party outweighs loyalty to the country or principles, it’s only a matter of time before the party starts "eating its own", and the system collapses under its own weight.
This is why strong independent thought, open debate, and a focus on national interest are more important than blind party loyalty.
Maybe it is time to be distracted ? And Disturbed? Yes. Disturbed. Very disturbed. To pull out the weeds? To reward the hardworking tradie with a pat on the back and to actually get back to doing what Redhead did - look at the window and see what was going on in the REAL world? The party politicians are telling us that we are the problem... but in fact. THEY ARE THE PROBLEM.
Dutton is pretending to be disturbed. Albo is trying to distract us. Trump at least is disturbed and doing something about it. In America, at least, the pretense and distraction are over. The Jedi mind tricks are not working. Sadly, here in Australia, we are still being told to look over there and ignore what we all know is happening: Grand Theft of our Nation, our rights and our freedom. But what is that? Did someone say Election?
BLOG COMMENTS POWERED BY DISQUS
