Who needs votes?
Sir: Your leading article (6 October) puts excessive emphasis on the need for Mr Gorbachev's `political legitimacy'. There is far more to democracy than political elec- tions, as those suffering from `legitimately elected' politicians id the West will confirm to the Russian people.
The stability and economic success of Hong Kong, much envied throughout South East Asia, was hardly marred by their lack of political democracy; indeed their social and economic choices were enhanced by the absence of a politicised administration, expensive bureaucracy and interventionist government.
In Britain successes in investment, in- dustry and improved public services have been due to government withdrawal, not political interventions, while the failures— in health, education, housing and monet- ary policy — are areas where the state has dominated. What people demand from politicians at elections is rarely the same as what they achieve through free public choice.
The Soviet Union is — for the time being — fortunate to be able to hand over real power to the people by privatising industry and property, abolishing State controls, allowing free movement and the freedom to save and invest. For such liberation the distortions of the political market could be positively harmful. Mr Gorbachev's demo- cratic credentials will be better demons- trated by his people's freedom and respon- sibility in non-political spheres.
Rodney E. B. Atkinson
60 Ashbourne Court, Woodside Park Road, London N12
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