Elections and the lure of the “lesser evil”

In two current election campaigns the issue for the Green Party, and also for the Left of tactical voting has come up.

In the US presidential elections the “spectre” of a Nader candidacy has been raised, whilst in the UK the London mayoral elections and standing against the city’s left(ish) mayor Ken Livingstone has emerged as an issue for Greens and for the various groups of the Bristish left.

All of this assumes an enagagement with electoral politics in the first place. There is a perfectly valid argument against representative democracy that I have a great deal of sympathy. However, if we accept electoral politics as one strategy amongst many, then the issue of how best to tactically intervene appears.

In the US, I feel that a strong Green Party challenge for the Presidency can only be a good thing. I’m not yet sure whether Nader would’ve been the best candidate and now the alternative is split , but we’ll see how this develops. Sure, another Republican victory would be a disaster for the US and indeed for the rest of the world; and the prospect of an Obama victory is intriguing. But, let’s not forget that the last Democrat President dropped cruise missiles on a Sudanese pharmecutical factory – I doubt Obama would have any qualms about pursuing the US military’s foreign policy objectives.

In the UK, the debate is more nuanced. PR in the mayoral elections mean that it is perfectly possible for smaller parties to stand and then urge for a 2nd preference vote for Ken. The Green Party in London is currently debating whether to formally advocate this vote going to Livingstone.

I’d say no.

It is one thing accepting that proportional represenation allows parties like the Greens to stand and attract “safe” tactical voting, but to officially advocate a vote for the candidate of the ruling Party? Not for me. We need clear water between ourselves as a genuine alternative and the traditional Parties. Elections for me are one tactic amongst many and we mustn’t lose sight of what we really want to acheive.