Monday, April 27, 2009

Is Daniel Hannan a closet Austrian?

Aside from the usual paean to democracy, which lets most good men down, the man who should be the leader of the Tory party, Daniel "The British Ron Paul" Hannan, speaks brilliantly at the Tory Spring conference, receiving what seems like a spontaneous standing ovation - I bet hapless Dave was spitting with envy and wondering how Hannan had managed to sneak onto the speaking order paper despite the Tory Gestapo efforts to stop this troublesome priest of sense! ;-)

The usual folly about democracy, of course, is that it isn't being subverted by the political process or even by the EU itself. It is democracy that has caused this federal mess, the same way that democracy caused the federal mess in the United States.

But aside from this ideological inexactitude, for which we at Maturin Towers can forgive Mr Hannan, on the basis that there are only seven of us in the country who take this position, then it is another remarkable speech.

Marvellous (especially the hoary old Clement Attlee joke).

Part 1:


Part 2:


UPDATE: Hannan reveals on his blog how he managed to get onto the rostrum, via the machinations of ConservativeHome's Tim Montgomerie.

7 comments:

Rutherford said...

I thought you might find it interesting that I believe Democracy to be but the tyranny of the masses - mobocracy as many Republicans and Monarchists of the past called it. Whatever degree of a popular element a nation adopts, it must be checked and balanced the same as any other element or it becomes tyrannical. A job the House of Lords once fulfilled.

These may or may not come close to your views (which I'm sure do differ in various areas), but it is always interesting to meet someone who does not worship the great Mob-god. Of course, today one is painted as a believer in dictators or something if they think democracy isn't the bee's knees - they just don't get that someone might be against all types of tyranny!

Hitler was Democratically elected!

It always creates financial chaos when the people realise they can vote for those who will give out the most freebies! Indeed, it just generally leads to chaos which is almost always replaced by totalitarianism of one sort or another - sound familiar!

It is a great speech, though. More like Hannan would be very welcome, even if he thinks Democracy so great.

The American system (originally) seems to me to be an imitation of our past system that i think served us well - a King (President), a House of Lords (Senate), and a House of Commons (Congress).

Jack Maturin said...

Rutherford, have you been reading 'Democracy: The God That Failed' again? :-)

My own copy was personally signed by Professor Hoppe, a few months ago, in Oxford, and although I do not necessarily agree with every word (particularly regarding his views on homosexuality), it's pretty much the standard upon which AngloAustria was founded.

Good to hear from you. I shall have to increase my standard UK total of believers from '7' to '8'! ;-)

Marvellous.

Jack Maturin said...

PS.

BTW Rutherford, if you want to check out how our views on Democracy may differ (or not), check out comment 242 on the following Guido article:

http://www.order-order.com/2009/04/red-rag-attack-site-the-others-who-knew-at-labour-hq/

Rutherford said...

I'll have to get that book and read it (I had heard of it before but always had other books I wanted to read first). I'm a historian and so I gained most of my views directly from the wisdom of the past - it really does give one perspective!

Well, whatever differences there are, I could sign my name to the bottom of that comment you wrote.

Two wolves out-voting a lamb on what's for dinner may be Democratic, but it's hardly moral!

Anonymous said...

Closet? How can anyone describe him as being in the closet when he openly describes himself as "being a libertarian" on Freedom Watch TV show?

http://freedomwatchonfox.com/category/show-archives (3rd vid down)

or

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUwy3YMFsJ0

Jack Maturin said...

Heck, I even watched that show myself, and missed the 'libertarian' tag. But is he an Austrian too? I think he might be. But then anyone who talks on the Judge's show, alongside Schiff, Rockwell, Paul, et al, must at least be a fellow traveller to the Mises school.

Unknown said...

He is not a Ron Paul libertarian. He is not anti EU! Any libertarian would first be anti EU (as in want to leave), then would deal with the U.K.. Anti EU does not equal anti-Europe (a geographical mass). His party does nothing to enhance true liberty. UKIP is the true conservative party in the uk.