Governance and politics

Yes, it does matter who you elect. Just look at the difference between Slovenia and Serbia, two countries to emerge from Yugoslavia in totally different ways. It's a clear example that governance makes all the difference when it comes to how wealthy and happy a nation is.

One thing I learnt after 16 years at the Confederation of British Industry is the importance of international competitiveness. It's, indeed, a competitive world. When one country stops to take a breather (putting up tariffs to protect domestic industry and labour), other countries muscle in. Global Darwinism. Argentina was the world's fourth-richest nation in 1900, today it's merely 'an emerging nation'; a long series of bad governments taking bad decisions wrecked what was once a great economy. Government does matter. Vote for a government that understands economics.

I don't understand people who are politically active but confess to be economically illiterate. Whenever you start talking about things you don't understand, you are either a knave or a fool. You are either lying or talking crap. I'm really not fussed about in vitro, the role of the church in society, punishing octogenarian communists or gay rights. I am, however, absolutely fussed about when (and at what rate) Poland joins the euro, what the government's industrial policy should be, the Central Bank's stance on monetary policy, what the government is doing to cut the budget deficit, how local authorities are tackling their obligations to protect the environment, and the provision of world-class transport infrastructure. These are the things that determine Poland's place in the world. The rest is white noise. Sadly, the rest is what 95% of the political debate is about in Poland.

Just say 'no' to Beton Jarka

The nation is the largest entity to which we can naturally, comfortably feel affinity to. (Agree or disagree?) I don't much care what happens in Greece or Romania or Iceland as long as the bad things that happen there don't impact Poland or the Polish economy.

National animosity is sad but understandable. "I don't like the French" or "I don't like the Welsh" is something the English might say just as naturally as Poles disliking Germans or Russians. Regional animosity is far rarer. That same degree of animosity as I've described above would be unlikely in a Mazovian, his heart full of atavistic hatred for the inhabitants of Świętokrzyskie or Podlaskie provinces, for example. Lancastrians have long since ceased hated Yorkists.

So caring about the competitiveness of one's country, then, is normal, instinctive. I want to feel proud for my country. I want to see Poland do well on the global stage. The only indicators that really count are social and economic. Progress, development, organisation. Good schools, universities, hospitals, roads, railways; efficient, well-run public services. We should all take natural, biological pride in these features of public life as they improve. But they don't improve by themselves. Left to their own devices, entrepreneurs, by dint of their innate courage, drive, vision and yes, greed, will create jobs and wealth. But they do need to be regulated. How much regulation do they need to stop them from creating cartels and enriching themselves unfairly, selling us shoddy goods and services at inflated prices? That, dear citizen-voter, is up to you.

Regulate them too heavily, and they will pack up their businesses and take the jobs elsewhere. Regulate them too lightly, and they will eat your children. (Notice I've not talked about taxes. My chief gripe with the Polish tax system is not the tax rate, but the ease with which one pays taxes and the transparency of the system.)

A conservative sees the purpose of law as the preservation of individual liberty. Liberty to enrich oneself. The pursuit of happiness. I'm struck by (but understand why) notions of conservatism differ so much between Poland (social conservatives who are economic socialists) and the US (social conservatives who are economic liberals). The UK falls somewhere between, distinctions muddied by residual feudalism (Britain's class system).

My point being? Sunday's vote is between standing still and moving backwards when it comes to global competitiveness. I want an economically strong Poland. Beton Jarka has yet to convince me how PiS is to accomplish that task. So I will be voting on Sunday for 'Bore' Komorowski. 'Steady as she goes' rather than 'Full steam astern'.