Moral Maze

The EU Referendum


Listen Later

The murder of the MP Jo Cox has cast a very long and dark shadow across the closing days of the EU referendum. The nature of the campaign and how her death might influence the result are a matter of conjecture. On this week's Moral Maze we're going stand back from that speculation and ask a much bigger question - has this referendum been good for us and good for democracy? The intense campaigning has been going on for many months now and comes hard on the heels of the Scottish independence referendum. Arguably, both have been characterised by trenchant, sometimes bitter and even abusive debate between two sides passionately and honestly committed to their positions. And, arguably, both referenda have left large parts of the electorate dissatisfied by a seemingly endless round of fact-free claim and counter-claim. Are our expectations unrealistic? Have referendums been, for all their faults, exercises in democracy that have engaged and inspired people in a way that party politics increasingly fail to achieve? Should we, like Switzerland, hold more of them? Is there a better way? Should we turn to technology and the internet for answers? 76% of people in the UK own a smart phone; with the growth of social media and online petitions there's a movement that believes the future of democracy is online, where it will engage more people in a wider variety of issues, putting more power directly into the hands of the electorate. Will e-democracy encourage more passionate engagement in issues and be a powerful force for progress? Can it cope with complex issues and complex societies with tens, or hundreds of millions of voters? Will we always need representative democracy to protect us from the tyranny of the majority, however that majority cast their votes? Chaired by Edward Stourton with Mona Siddiqui, Matthew Taylor, Giles Fraser and Claire Fox. Witnesses are Paul Hilder, James Bloodworth, Dr Philip Cunliffe and Tim Stanley.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Moral MazeBy BBC Radio 4

  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6
  • 4.6

4.6

51 ratings


More shows like Moral Maze

View all
Global News Podcast by BBC World Service

Global News Podcast

7,583 Listeners

From Our Own Correspondent by BBC Radio 4

From Our Own Correspondent

375 Listeners

More or Less by BBC Radio 4

More or Less

887 Listeners

Newshour by BBC World Service

Newshour

1,045 Listeners

The Reith Lectures by BBC Radio 4

The Reith Lectures

221 Listeners

In Our Time by BBC Radio 4

In Our Time

5,463 Listeners

The Documentary Podcast by BBC World Service

The Documentary Podcast

1,801 Listeners

6 Minute English by BBC Radio

6 Minute English

1,764 Listeners

Learning English Conversations by BBC Radio

Learning English Conversations

1,047 Listeners

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4 by BBC Radio 4

Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4

2,117 Listeners

The Infinite Monkey Cage by BBC Radio 4

The Infinite Monkey Cage

2,089 Listeners

The Bottom Line by BBC Radio 4

The Bottom Line

35 Listeners

Start the Week by BBC Radio 4

Start the Week

161 Listeners

Any Questions? and Any Answers? by BBC Radio 4

Any Questions? and Any Answers?

41 Listeners

Daily Politics from the New Statesman by The New Statesman

Daily Politics from the New Statesman

142 Listeners

The Briefing Room by BBC Radio 4

The Briefing Room

82 Listeners

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson by BBC Radio 4

Political Thinking with Nick Robinson

108 Listeners

Newscast by BBC News

Newscast

624 Listeners

You're Dead to Me by BBC Radio 4

You're Dead to Me

3,187 Listeners

Americast by BBC News

Americast

720 Listeners

The Bomb by BBC World Service

The Bomb

1,016 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics

2,955 Listeners

The News Agents by Global

The News Agents

979 Listeners

The Rest Is Politics: Leading by Goalhanger

The Rest Is Politics: Leading

795 Listeners

Radical with Amol Rajan by BBC Radio 4

Radical with Amol Rajan

54 Listeners