Centrist Compass

I personally am a Radical Centrist and Center Populist.

People say ‘oh, Radical Centrism isn’t a real ideology, it’s just a string together of different policies and political opportunism’ but I disagree with this argument.

Radical Centrism is pragmatic when it comes to policy, and there are bound to be disagreements within it, but to me what makes Radical Centrism one of the best ideologies is that it focuses on making institutions more inclusive (being a neutral, independent arbiter representing the interests of the people) and less extractivist (being there to simply enhance the power of established elites).

Even though this book doesn’t describe itself as advocating for Radical Centrism, ‘Why Nations Fail’ by James A. Robinson and Daron Acemoglu I think to me sums up what Radical Centrism is about, and I use that as a major influence on my beliefs.

Radical Centrism emphasises institutional reform, and recognises that the institutional reform needs to come before any particular government action, because if the institutions aren’t inclusive, despite best intentions, things that sound good on paper will end up just enriching an established elite, whether that’s landowners, corporations, state bureaucrats, or interest groups.

Latin America is a perfect example of extractivist institutions. Virtually everything, protectionism, free trade, neoliberalism, social democracy, and socialism… has been tried to develop the continent, but it is still not developed. This is because the state institutions are completely corrupt, out completely for the benefit of an elite.

In order to change a country, you need to dramatically reduce corruption, reduce the power of parasitic, unproductive elites, enhance the independence of government institutions, and empower the people.

A Radical Centrist programme could include:

• Electoral reform (proportional representation with either open lists or STV).

• Democracy vouchers and strict campaign finance regulations.

• Open primaries.

• Lobbying regulations and restrictions.

• Banning politicians from having any other sources of income.

• Banning politicians and government officials from working for lobbyists once they leave office.

• Empowering an anti-corruption agency.

• Enhancing the separation of powers, not just the executive from the legislative and judiciary, but guaranteeing the independence of an electoral commission, auditors, prosecutors, ombudsman, state media, and anti-corruption agency.

• De-politicising the courts by judicial councils and supermajority ratification requirements, as well as prohibiting judicial activism.

• Improving general government competence and efficiency.

• Trust-busting, anti-monopoly laws, and protection for consumers against predatory corporations.

• Requiring more transparency from corporations and banks.

• Simplifying taxes.

I'm where anchor theory is, except i'm not that. So i''l just go with either neolib, or moderate centrism.

Gangism gang 💪