The power of argument

I don’t expect all of you to agree with me and encourage you to argue with me (nicely, please). It is through the power of argument, with no clear goal in mind, that we find common ground, unearth innovative solutions and generate the energy and enthusiasm and most importantly the momentum to do something.

The art of argument dates back to the ancient civilisations and a person skilled in argument, usually also a teacher of the art, was an immensely highly regarded individual indeed. Arguing in its purest sense, is how we learn and grow, mitigate conflicts and how society develops.

As Rory Stewart states clearly in his recent, fascinating delve into the history of argument (BBC Sounds), our legal and political systems are founded on the principle of argument.

Arguing is not shouting at your opponent and hoping to verbally beat them into submission – it is about stating your case and opening up the discussion to hear the other side.

Persuading someone of your argument and dismantling someone else’s takes skill, patience and a clear understanding of both points of view. How can you disagree without understanding the other side of the argument?

‘My father used to say, “Don’t raise your voice. Improve your argument”’ (Archbishop Desmond Tutu).

Much of how we are governed in Guernsey comes down to argument, much more so than in the UK where the party system and complex interaction of civil service and government dictate much of the direction of travel. This is both a blessing and curse. I am fascinated to hear the variety of opinions expressed in the States, yet saddened when I consider those whose voices are not being heard and frustrated that we do not progress from argument quickly enough to action and implementation.

Frustrating though it can sometimes feel, there is more to be learned from disagreement than agreement and for this reason we need to expand the range of opinions – and arguments – in government.

We already know that women are woefully represented in the States at present – eight out of 38 deputies – despite there being more of us overall, but did you also know that just under half of deputies are men in their 50s?

The benefit of experience notwithstanding and no deputies being singled out; this figure rises to almost three-quarters of the States if we consider men over 50.

Female representation tends to be higher the younger we are (which is an interesting observation in itself) and this is reflected in the 30-40 age group in this States.

Our deputies represent some but far from all of the views and ideas that exist on-island. There are no deputies at all in their 20s, yet there were three candidates in that age group in the last election. This is not enough.

The States is not reflective enough of the age, race, socio-economic profile or gender distribution of the population and we are therefore not hearing enough different views.

Diversity of thought and approach is so critical to positive change and it is critical that we get buy-in now from those who will be leading the island in the future as well as those with experience. This is all the more important in light of the anticipated long-term population changes and the challenges this brings. How can we make decisions that will impact the younger generation without involving them in the debate?

The recent and unexpected resignation of Heidi Soulsby from Policy & Resources serves only to highlight how difficult it is to influence policy and debate when your views are in a minority. If we don’t change something soon, we risk losing more of those who are brave and talented enough to put themselves forward to lead.

Younger people typically, yet not exclusively, favour action in areas that matter to them now, such as recreation, transport, innovation, housing, childcare and jobs, while older generations tend to be more focused on structural, slower and arguably less dynamic issues as they tend to be more established and reliant upon the status quo. Older residents are typically less bothered by the cost of mortgages or childcare and perhaps travel less than their younger counterparts.

The same can be said of other poorly represented groups such as mothers with young children and those less financially secure.

This imbalance creates its own issues, in that the topics debated in the States then fail to inspire some groups to want to be a part of the discussion in the future.

Those who are brave enough to stand for election are likely to be less well known, with smaller networks and may be perceived as lacking experience. Failure at that stage could put them off longer term.

There is also the consideration of what to do once you leave the States. This is less of an issue if you are approaching retirement and have already had a successful career, however, it matters greatly that we support many of those who leave office with paid notice periods and coaching, where required, to ensure they can find suitable employment after their term has come to an end. This must be a huge barrier to many who would otherwise consider a career in politics and who have so much to offer the island.

As the population of the island ages and becomes less tolerant of change, we risk alienating younger people further.

Inclusivity is second nature to most under-30s and their priorities are aligned with this. They are statistically more likely to favour quality of life over higher pay and are currently disproportionately excluded from the local housing market. Not only do we want to re-engage younger islanders, we want to know what they think and want and we need them to drive this change.

Representation is critical if we want current islanders to stay and those with skills to move here. Younger generations are demanding to be seen and heard in governments globally and have strong views on climate change, inclusivity and tolerance which deserve to be publicly debated.

There are solutions to this.

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) counts most countries within its 178 members. The UK sits 39th in this list in terms of female representation in parliament. Guernsey would be 95th, just above Bangladesh and below Honduras. It is worth noting and perhaps surprising that Rwanda and Cuba lead this table.

In terms of age, globally 2.62% of MPs are under the age of 30. In Guernsey we have none. Only one in 10 of our deputies are under the age of 45.

The IPU’s most recent report in 2021 concluded that quotas were critical in ensuring greater representation of women and young people but that these need to be handled well.

Quotas risk de-legitimising those who benefit from them and this risks exacerbating the existing problem. I favour alternative, more organic, approaches.

If we don’t encourage creative thinking in a different and flexible way, if we don’t start to hear a wider variety of opinions and argument, we will always get the same answers to the same problems and we will continue to have a States that is neither inclusive nor diverse.

I welcome the arrival of GPEG, a think-tank, to the scene as their arguments stimulate debate and encourage discussion. They naturally only represent one side of the debate, however, and I would like to hear from more think-tanks and lobby groups willing to make political statements, move the discussion forward and support potential political candidates in the future.

Without a party system, it is essential that we fill the void with voices of agreement and dissension. Argument really can move things forward, and fast. You won’t always agree with the direction things take but it trumps inertia in every case. The sooner a decision is made, the sooner we know if it was the right one and if it wasn’t, we can change it.

We also need what is known as a ‘sandbox’ in regulatory circles.

A safe space where ideas and opinions can be proposed, discussed and debated in and out of the States by islanders without fear of reprisal or judgement and from which the best ideas can be quickly put into practice. This would encourage individuals and businesses to come up with new solutions. We need more consultation and interaction with islanders of all ages, in creative ways.

We should also be training everyone, of all ages, to compete in elections and teaching them the core skills required for being a deputy – the most important being the ability to argue.

Importantly, we should be working with our existing deputies on inclusion and diversity.

Those being disrespectful of other members by leaving when they start to speak or mispronouncing names should be called out.

It should not be about prospective or even current deputies developing a ‘tougher skin’, blending in, adopting bad habits and tolerating poor, outdated and often downright offensive behaviour, but rather a new example needs to be set to make it clear to new candidates that everyone is welcome and all opinions will be heard.

Our States should be a forum reflective of our rich and diverse community with debate and reasoned argument at its core, there is no better foundation for government.

Don’t agree?

Then it’s time for an argument.

u Hayley North is a chartered financial planner and is involved in many areas of local life.