The definitive guide to Britain's success in the twenty-first century
CST has coined the phrase ‘The Horizon and Beyond’ for new political thinking.
The basis is very simple, so simple that it is commonsense.
There are two main tenants:
Simple analysis:
If we take any of the main issues, then it is simple to say where eventually, (say in 30 years plus) we are trying to get to. Lets take education, the vision for education would be ‘superb, balanced education for all children and young adults’. Few would argue against such a future vision. As it is a long, long way in the future, we don’t need to be much more specific, but we do know where we are heading.
Now, the key to making good decisions is to be honest about what we do not know and this includes the risks.
The world is currently predicated on making decisions on just what we do know (and forgetting about the risks). This is true for people generally, businesses and especially politics. Admitting that we don’t know the exact way forward or admitting we don’t know all the facts or future variables is thought to be ‘wimpy’.
So, by setting out to do the exact opposite creates three things:
So, unless we are inept, eventually we shall find the way to gain our goals. Along the way, technology will change, peoples idea’s and values will change and so we shall have to manoeuvre our plans accordingly, maybe even shift the goals posts, but that’s quite OK as it is much better to try to get somewhere rather than not starting off. There is risk in everything.
As the plans made are based on both what we know and what we don’t, the next clearly defined steps can only ever be short term. Even these may change as we uncover the issues we have clearly set out as unknown. The longer term plans provide a road map so we know roughly where we are heading and can consider the emerging issues. Part of the process will be to plan how we are to discover the unknowns and call on everybody to help with this. History shows us that it is often the unknown, unkowns that catch us out. We know new things are going to discovered, some of these change the game.
People Power:
This new approach would galvanise people and businesses to help answer these 'unknown' questions.
It would make clear that the way forward was not certain. This understanding would provide for additional research to find the best way forward
This inclusivity puts the ball back in the court of the public. And, using current internet technology, (crowed-sourcing et al), it should be possible to get many more people thinking and working on these real issues.
The new politics says: ‘help us achieve, help us find a better way forward’, and this is empowering.
This gets people back involved in politics because they can have an effect on their future and can see where its going.
The medium term plans must be considered, but these will be flexible plans they will point the way but not set in stone. This will provide business, financiers, and partners with enough information to make their own decisions.
Future Planning:
This is not just a clever new way of gaining voters, it does actually reflect the real world and how difficult it is to make good, workable long-term plans. Most politicians today ignore the long-term issues as the politicians know that they shall be voted back in on short term changes. So they never bother to develop long-term, well thought out plans for anything.
If you need an example of current planning not working, just consider the UK’s lack of development in power production over the last 25 years, even though we all knew that the current power stations would be closing down.
The better option would have been to set out the unknowns, is nuclear safe now? Are there other forms of power that can effectively fill the void. For instance, is Thorium a way forward? Is there a better way of paying for this long-term infrastructure? But now instead of clicking the light on, the lights are likely to go out.
Some issues are hugely affected by future technology. Lets take transport as an example. Currently it is not at all clear if building new railroads is the best option. Maybe, technology will provide for a better and more economic alternative. We can envisage today a future of driverless cars that are powered by hydrogen fuel cells, the fuel coming from new low cost sources such as efficient solar arrays. These technologies were not obvious just ten years ago but are now almost a reality.
Real Political Change:
This new type of planning leads seamlessly to CST's new way forward - using long term planning bodies that sit outside the 'political processes'. These side-step the built in problems of our current political system.
Britain could then look forward to a future that is not predicated on the current 'undemocratic' party political process that offers a five year tenure - where the politicians and media provide the equivalent of re-arranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
This whole movement towards radical change started with a simple, creative change to the way a new party may gain the initiative. CST has provided the platform for real change - who is going to jump off?
Want to start a new movement for change? see: Ballot or Spoil
Outline Planning System:
Summary: