Democracy for Realists

by Brian Bamford

NICHOLAS ALLOTT. is a senior lecturer in English language at the University of Oslo and co-author of Chomsky: Ideas and Ideals (2017): his research interests include pragmatics, semantics of natural language and interpretation, and philosophy of linguistics.  He argues that it is not enough for intellectuals to do as Noam Chomsky recommends to 'speak the truth and to expose lies.' 

Mr. Allott warns that intellectuals have not just the obligation to tell the truth to power but 'to do so in ways that - in their best judgement are most likely to be understood and to be effective'.

Chomsky himself has admitted:  'I don't have faith that the truth will prevail if it becomes known, but we have no alternative to proceeding on that assumption', and Mr. Allott has said Chomsky has often endorsed Gramsci's 'optimism of the will' as a necessary corollary to pessimism of the intellect.

Allott quotes from a study by Christopher Achen and Larry Bartels who have argued that 'voting is not well explained as a selection of a party with policies that match the voter's preferences', and that 'Evidence includes the startling fact that votes are strongly affected by natural events.'

The political scientists, Achen and Bartels have found that 'voters punish politicians for outcomes that are clearly not under their control, including natural events such as shark attacks, droughts and floods.'

Also, Allott writes 'voters are not good at keeping track of changes, even those that impact upon their own welfare'.  

Achen and Bartels argue that 'most voters pay little attention to politics, and at elections their choices depend largely on recent developments in the economy and on political group loyalties that are typically held from childhood.' (Achen & Bartels Democracy for Realists). 

Nicholas Allott writes:  'What is more, political change does not come about only, or even mainly, through choices at elections, and supporters of RI (responsible intellectuals) can argue that the responsibilty to tell the truth is such as by improving the political culture.'

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