Political illiteracy
I read today an article in a national paper by some historian on the inability of the people to vote correctly on matters of political importance due to illiteracy.
While this is partly true, I would say that it is also the fault of poor communication and overcomplicated bureaucracy.
Here I would also point to other factors that influence such matters.
Our society is seen to be dependent on the rich, through banking and industry, so that there is now no longer the illusion of an equal status for all citizens. The poorer are manipulated by biased media and general industrial greed, while the politicians are seen to be unable or unwilling to influence to any extent the latter’s power. Indeed, many politicians are directly involved with industrial concerns through electoral funding issues and the assigning of contracts.
This also results in what most people see as an unequal distribution of public spending.
Even in richer western countries, there is too little funding available for adequate healthcare, care for the elderly and education.
The latter results directly in poor standards of learning for the young – the future citizens.
Students who dare to complete long studies in higher education are eventually crippled by the necessary loans incurred through high study costs that have to be paid back over most, if not all, of their working lives.
Housing prices have risen out of all proportion, due to the greed of house owners and financial lenders, so that especially younger people are having to take out loans that also form a substantial financial burden.
On the other hand, governments are seen to be supporting banks to the tune of billions of hard currency, due to irresponsible financial management through greed, which the taxpayer will, undoubtedly, later have to repay. Billions more are seen to be spent on economically motivated wars and disappearing into the pockets of corrupt politicians and institutions in the ‘developing countries’, which the taxpayer is already funding.
One also sees poorly controlled immigration policies whereby people from different cultures, creeds and living standards are being thrown together, causing all sorts of social problems and unrest.
Even without direct experience, all this is paraded daily before the people via the news media. Little wonder that most have come to realize that, through their elected representatives, they have little power to do anything to improve social justice.
Government in some countries consists of a coalition of left and right wing factions shadow boxing, which leads to ineffectual or weak decision making. This convinces no one. Even in countries with two party politics, these effectively merge with each other on important issues which may lead to unpopular decisions. Experience shows that, after election, decisive electoral promises are often strongly watered down or allowed to slowly evaporate.
All the above causes people to become disillusioned with politics and to become lethargic when election time comes around.
And then there are the hard working people who pay their taxes, cause no trouble, and get on with their lives as best they can. These are politically always the forgotten ones.
I would dare to say that most of the electorate is only too aware of the points raised in the above discussion, because they affect people’s daily lives.
Those in power have to reconnect with the people at the human level, bring back openness and honesty, and show themselves to be actively involved in maintaining and improving their wellbeing. The (extra)ordinary working people are the real driving power behind society but they are rapidly becoming its slaves.
