On the good use of authority

Interesting meditation from Eoghan Harris this week on his own concept of good and bad authority. He argues that simply playing to single constituencies is not enough if any given journey towards lasting settlements around the world (but particularly NI) is to be completed.

“Representing your people, right or wrong, is simply bad authority. Bad authority is calling your neighbour’s children to order. Good authority is calling your own children to order. Bad authority blocks the solution to any political problem. That is why RTE damages the NI peace process by being nasty to Prods and nice to Provos. That is why America damages the Palestine peace process by favouring Israelis over Palestinians”.

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