Author, 'The Mechanics of Changing the World: Political Architecture to Roll Back State & Corporate Power' https://books2read.com/thirddraft Aussie, journo: NYT, SMH Designer, anti-poverty projects, Cambodia #ThirdDraftDemocracy #DemocracyWorks #Votehttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mu7y776hbk2rPaine's 'Common Sense' would have been seen as exotic & impracticable in any year before 1776. As we get closer to our Global Spring, I think we'll see our 'utopian' literature come in from the cold. It'll be seen as practical, even essential.29 Aug 2026 13:28 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mu7y776hbk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3ms6ow6aua22lI've studied Donald Trump's patterns for some months now. Here's how I think it works: He announces new negotiations on Wednesdays; announces that he will obliterate Iran from the map on Fridays; and declares victory on Sundays.03 Aug 2026 14:19 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms6ow6aua22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3ms3teqnwlc2wWesterners spend a lot of time telling other countries to democratize. We spend billions teaching them how. We even use ‘democratization’ as a way to undermine their governments. We seem less concerned about democratization at home.02 Aug 2026 11:00 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms3teqnwlc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3ms36h5ronk2qMy latest Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/johnmacgregor/p/the-ownership-of-power?r=bburx&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true02 Aug 2026 04:46 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3ms36h5ronk2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mqr4mlyn6s2gFew grasp the bipartisan nature of the permanent state. The apolitical core of plutocracy. In the 1960s, the Kray twins—Ronnie & Reggie—headed a crime syndicate that terrorised London. A liberal is one who thinks he's under threat from Ronnie.16 Jul 2026 11:21 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqr4mlyn6s2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mq7jvx63os2vDemocracy lost its global clout because its environmental threats evolved & it did not—like an animal species that remains static as those around it develop longer claws & faster speeds. Failure to adapt—in a moving world—creates not stability but decline.09 Jul 2026 11:31 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq7jvx63os2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mq2lwgpwk22pCarl Jung wrote: “𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.”07 Jul 2026 12:24 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mq2lwgpwk22phttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mpvm5dd7ts22𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀, 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵 𝗶𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘁𝘂𝘁𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗚𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺...05 Jul 2026 12:44 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpvm5dd7ts22https://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mpnwldbook27The hallmark of our era is the transition from flawed democracy to unaccountable elite rule. (Followed by falling real incomes, 'structural' war, mass homelessness, declining human health...) But this remarkable transition is absent from the national conversation (symptoms aside).02 Jul 2026 11:30 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpnwldbook27https://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mpiy2w5x5c25Modern political analysis seems designed to miss the larger patterns. For example, each American war—Vietnam, Iraq, & now Iran—is retrospectively labeled a 'mistake' or a 'loss'.30 Jun 2026 12:13 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpiy2w5x5c25https://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mpi2pyffvs2iIf I were one of the 0.1%, I'd tell the TV stations, social media platforms & politicians I own to ramp up political polarisation: - 𝗜𝘁 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 - 𝗜𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗺𝘆 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗳 - 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗳𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲30 Jun 2026 03:28 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mpi2pyffvs2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mnu4goigps23We think of politics & government as a vast, slow-moving machine—clogged by compromise, riven with conflict, mired in secrecy. But in a rational political system, governance need not be hard.09 Jun 2026 11:40 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnu4goigps23https://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mnp2y5uqrc2dWhy do we focus on society's problems at the level of policies & political parties, rather than structural causes? I know there are inequality, war & environmental breakdown—but these things flow down from governance that's largely controlled by...07 Jun 2026 11:31 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mnp2y5uqrc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mn5b62xy422o31 May 2026 09:34 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mn5b62xy422ohttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mmqxg4ixok2kMy field is #governance (or design of governance). For a decade my goal has been to find a democratic design to replace the one now reaching senescence. I’ve not been in search of some new, monolithic blueprint.26 May 2026 12:07 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmqxg4ixok2khttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mmlpla377s2bI interviewed Mark Lane (right), before he died. I asked him what Lee Oswald's mother had said, when he met her in December 1963. Lane: 'The first thing she said was, "My son was CIA."'24 May 2026 10:04 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmlpla377s2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mmeey7qihs2rDemocracy was invented in 508 BC to separate political power from wealth. But its modern version—representative democracy—is easy for organized money to game & capture. That’s the root cause of our war, ecocide & inequality.21 May 2026 12:06 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmeey7qihs2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mmdednu5zk2r21 May 2026 02:21 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mmdednu5zk2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mm7d67hp4k2qAs a political entity, “the United States” is now more or less a marionette controlled by blocs of political investors.19 May 2026 11:50 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mm7d67hp4k2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mlwlc4hgzs2k16 May 2026 00:21 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlwlc4hgzs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mlnrb6vpps2gDonald Trump’s redeeming feature: he’s the global elite with the mask off. (Little is hidden.) American decline has reached the asset-stripping stage, & he doesn’t really mind who knows about it. Even his lies are inferior to his first term ones: he doesn’t feel the need to try any more.12 May 2026 12:14 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlnrb6vpps2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mlb46rm3722zWhen an elite uses its control of politics to shift wealth upwards—as it generally does—you’d expect that common people would fight back. And that world history, therefore, would be a history of peasants’ revolts.07 May 2026 11:25 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mlb46rm3722zhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3ml6mjfw2mc2iWe’d lose 80 to 90% of our social & geopolitical problems if national decision-making were no longer dominated by organized money. That can’t be achieved till Western societies adopt democratic political systems.06 May 2026 11:39 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml6mjfw2mc2ihttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3ml43rdwwf22iJung wrote: “𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.”05 May 2026 11:34 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3ml43rdwwf22ihttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mkpjnfeehk2n𝗪𝗲 𝗲𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗻𝘂𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗯𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹, 𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗸, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.” - 𝙂𝙚𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙡 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙇𝙚𝙚 𝘽𝙪𝙩𝙡𝙚𝙧, 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙐𝙎 𝙎𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙂𝙚𝙤𝙧𝙜𝙚 𝙃𝙒 𝘽𝙪𝙨𝙝30 Apr 2026 11:38 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkpjnfeehk2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mkmyqm4d2k2yThe US recession beginning in 2008 led to lost output of $10 trillion in the first year. By 2011, the value of US home equity had dropped by $9.1 trillion. 8.7 million jobs were lost. Fines were raised on some financial institutions, at a fraction of their fraudulently obtained profits.29 Apr 2026 11:30 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkmyqm4d2k2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mkmdthbot22629 Apr 2026 05:16 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkmdthbot226https://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mkkjdzgw5c22The goal of China's leadership class is governance of the nation. It may contain a few duds & crooks—but the basic mission is adhered to. Contrastingly, Western governments contain people who are sponsored—financially underwritten—to produce particular policies.28 Apr 2026 11:49 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkkjdzgw5c22https://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mkfhm6r6g22l‘Learned helplessness’. That’s us with politics. We rage at our politicians. It never changes anything. A few struggle to improve one part of the system—e.g. voting. Victories are rare & hard-won.26 Apr 2026 11:35 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkfhm6r6g22lhttps://bsky.app/profile/johnmacgregor.bsky.social/post/3mkbqtqvmo22sThe flaw in both communist & Western democratic systems has been that they're invariably captured—communist ones by the most violent & ruthless clique in the revolution (e.g. the Bolsheviks, or the people around Mao) & Western democracy by donors.25 Apr 2026 00:09 +0000at://did:plc:vqtyandtx3eszl67bitgetym/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkbqtqvmo22s