Editorial
| Date | 01 April 2012 |
| Published date | 01 April 2012 |
| DOI | 10.1111/j.2041-9066.2012.00087.x |
| Subject Matter | Editorial |
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Editorial
Surveying the political scene in 2012 calls to mind Hegel’s famous quip: ‘The one thing that we learn
from history is that we learn nothing from history’. There was no Euro in early 19th century Europe but
the great German philosopher’s maxim could have been coined specially for the Eurozone crisis, which
continues to rumble on with no clear end point in sight.
In Britain, economic difficulties, doubts about the efficacy of the on-going austerity drive and rows
about bankers’ bonuses continue to dog the coalition government. Meanwhile, after a long winter, the
euphoria of the Arab Spring has subsided in countries such as Egypt, where the old guard have proved
surprisingly adept at resisting the political change that seemed inevitable just twelve months ago.
One place where the hand of history weighs particularly heavily is the Falkland Islands (or, as Argen-
tineans call them, the Malvinas). On the 30th anniversary of the conflict, Argentinean academic Vicente
Palermo presents a radical proposal for transforming the Falklands dispute. In his Foresight column, Palermo argues that the
governments of David Cameron and Cristina Fernández can take symbolic and legal decisions that could make the causa Malvinas
much less divisive. Of course, whether the political will exists to transform Anglo-Argentine relations is another matter entirely.
This month’s lead article looks at a phenomenon that is meant to unite the world: sports mega-events. Ahead of the London
Olympics, Jonathan Grix examines the politics of staging an international sports event. Why do countries compete so fiercely
to be hosts? Is the legacy worth the cost? Is there any real financial benefit from hosting a mega-event like the Olympics?
Staying in London, Benjamin Hennig and Danny Dorling, in their regular In Focus slot, re-examine the geography of the
2008 mayoral election on the eve of the May vote. John Benyon analyses the causes and consequences of last August’s riots,
which began in north London and led to £300 million worth of damage to property across England.
2012 is also a big year for the coalition government. Divisions between the Lib Dems and Conservatives on policy have
had many political commentators predicting a premature end for the marriage of convenience between David Cameron and
Nick Clegg. The government’s prospects have not been helped by their own restive backbenchers: as Philip Cowley and Mark
Stuart show, between May 2010 and the end of last year, backbench revolts reached levels not seen since before World War II.
Constitutional reform is one area in which the coalition has struggled to enact changes, not least because of differences
between the two parties on matters such as electoral reform and the make-up of the House of Lords. Nick Gallop charts a course
through Britain’s recent constitutional past and asks whether we are any closer to a constitutional settlement.
Elsewhere, Norman Bonney and Bob Morris consider the future of the Commonwealth, Peter Riddell looks at how govern-
ments respond to crises, while Tariq Modood and Nasar Meer debate the merits of multiculturalism and interculturalism as
frameworks for negotiating culturally diverse societies. This month’s Country Focus comes from Ireland, where Elaine Byrne
reflects on the effect of the financial crash on Irish politics.
Whether political leaders learn the lessons of history remains to be seen, but either way Political Insight will be here providing
expert research, analysis and opinion on issues of national and international import. If you would like to join the debates or
contribute to Political Insight just drop me an email (address on the opposite page) or log on to www.politicalinsightmagazine.com.
Peter Geoghegan
Editor
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