I wouldn’t have said this twenty years ago, but I will now. I think our politicians around the world are letting us down. With a few exceptions, the majority of the leaders of countries, have seen it as a good career move, not a position of service to the population or their nation.
It is politicians that decide when countries go to war, not the population. It is the politicians that set the policies and laws of the land which everyone has to abide by, not the population. It is the politicians in democratic countries that ask the population to vote for them and promise the world, but rarely provide it once elected. Of course, not every politician is like that, but there seems to now be a goodly number which have used politics to help themselves instead of using the position to assist the poor and disadvantaged, as well as helping the country to grow using the benefits of the land.
I know that power is a dangerous thing. Mainly because it makes people feel more important than they really are. This was not always so. People who years ago went into politics did so with the intention of making society better, even a way to help those who, by no fault of their own had difficult lives.
There have always been two sides to politics. Those who believe they come from the wealthy and educated so they should be the ruling party, and those who come from humble beginnings and see politics as a way to assist others. But don’t think those who come from humble beginnings and dislike the way those who think they should rule, are any different. Once in the top position, more than often they want the wealth and the power and end up becoming, as a leader, the same as the other side.
I can hear you saying, not everyone is like this. And you would be correct. But if you check back through history, it is amazing how many people who take on politics to improve the lives of the population and their country, have end up becoming either a
dictators or despots, and those people can be cruel and oppressive to make sure they stay in power,
As I look around me at this moment in time, there seem to be more of the latter than we used to have. Yes, we had several in the 1970 & 80s but the majority of the democratic countries had leaders who wanted the best for their country and population, not the best for themselves. How have we let this happen? In some ways the voter is to blame. In other ways it is the politician.
In many countries the value of the vote doesn’t mean much to the average man. They cannot see how their single vote could make a difference. The point is, what society thinks at the time generally shows up in the ballot box. That is if everyone votes. If we become complacent and don’t care then, those that do care, will sway the results. When this happens, the majority lose out. Those who get elected just take over.
In Switzerland they have a very democratic system. If a member of the population would like to see a change and can get 50,000 Swiss Citizens signatures, the parliament has to hold a referendum. Also, the head of the government is a different member of the parliament each year. The power of being in charge can never go to their head.
Here in Australia at every election every single member of the population, that has the right to vote, must vote. If we don’t we get fined. That of course doesn’t mean you have to put a valid return in the ballot box, but you do have to turn up at the
polling booth and have your name crossed off. Is this a good idea? You bet, because the majority of the population vote, and the current social thinking of the day comes through. And if a country wants to have a true result of what the population thinks, then the whole of the population needs to vote.
Of course, it suits the person who gets voted in to Parliament to have a minority of the population voting. Their supporters will turn out in force and you will get a biased result. Many nations look at how Australia runs its elections. Some think what Australia and Switzerland do is more democratic, but those who want to stay in power would never agree to run under that system.
When I was in my early 20s I didn’t believe in Party Politics. In fact, I still don’t. I vote for the best person standing in my electorate, no matter whether they are an independent or a member of a Party. My aversion to Party Politics is that my representative has to follow what the Party dictates on how they vote for policies, even if it is not good for my electorate. I voted them in to represent me and my electorate. If they voted for something that was bad for my electorate, I am very sorry I voted for them. And I don’t at the following election.
Party Politics has only been around since the 18th century, prior to that, parliament was made up of independents, and the Prime Minister was chosen from one of all the members.
If you want to change your politicians then you will have to vote. In some countries there is no such thing. The opportunity to vote is a blessing and as such should be valued.
If you want change, you have to be a voter. The more who demonstrate and let the world know how their country feels about those in charge, the more chance of succeeding. It can be done at the ballot box. But you will need to have the best person waiting in the wings. But be careful. Powerful people don’t like opposition. You might have to rise to a position of power and be amongst those to remove them.
Yes, this is anarchy. People in power don’t like it. But someone has to talk about it somewhere, sometime. Thankfully I am willing to do so.
Julie Finch-Scally ©
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