Monday 30 November 2015

Politics must become more fun!

Omitting the recent "Corbyn Effect", political parties have seen a decline in membership continuously over many years. Old tribal warfare such as Workers vs Bosses has faded into memories, even if the issues behind it are unresolved and painfully present behind the scenes. Most work is no longer carried out in huge factories but by "white-collar" mortgage-holders with new priorities. In our unequal country, having a job and a home, no matter how indebted, count as economic success,  apparently not meriting the energies of unions to wrest improvements from Gradgrind employers. This leaves the Left with out its main historic purpose.

Voting is now left to older generations with memories of how we got here and with the time to stay in touch with the mainstream media. They are familiar with the democratic process, unlike today's young. Yet the future belongs to the latter, even those not yet of voting age. How are they to be persuaded to engage in a process which seems so irrelevant to their daily experience, let alone join a political party? True, the aftermath of the recent election has seen a huge upsurge in parties' membership, perhaps because Corbyn's message, like that of Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland, could be conveyed in a sound-bite or in 140 characters.

And how sustainable will this engagement of the younger voter be, if or when the power-hungry sulkers of the Labour front bench show how disloyalty really works and the people's Labour Party is once again discarded? Then, focus group, who-can-be-least-radical politics expressed in spad-eeze will turn them off again, surely. The [mostly white, mostly] men in suits will once again be a distant oligarchy with no understanding of the lives of those struggling young workers, disabled or unwaged citizens.

Instead, these may more likely be engaged by what makes them curious, angry, or empowered. This may be a community cause, or a global conflict; a campaign or an injustice. So the young, as bright, lively and unselfish as in any generation, will form their own allegiances using their own preferred forms of expression and media. This will still be political engagement but not party-political, leaving them outside the process whereby decisions can be made. A thousand pressure groups will still need a mechanism through which to unlock resources controlled by an ever-narrowing, unrepresentative few. These latter will still cluster in Parties, which will still need voters; and the voters will still depend on the Parties; but the people may fall into neither category unless they can attract the young, the ethnic minority, the women voters currently put off by the profile of  "Politician". How to do this? The Parties must relinquish their capital stronghold, devolve and share power - genuinely, explain how governance works; offer social engagement and the fun of debate; actually listen and hear what is needed; and then show how politics can work for them and for the country.

1 comment:

  1. "Workers v bosses has faded into memories". I must be living in a Pullmanesque parallel world. What do you think the Trade Union Bill is if not gloves off, naked class warfare? Before turning to your blog I was reading how Portsmouth City Council is jumping the gun ahead of the TUB to end secondment time for union reps. Class politics is not obsolete. Even those white collar workers you refer to are under pressure to do more. I occasionally travel on a commuter train from London & see these people working away on their tablets or lap tops or closing deals [loudly] on their mobiles. Even the 19th century mill owners did not require their staff to continue weaving on a hand loom at home. So I hope that Wealden LP is not trying to airbrush class politics out of the present day.This is not an argument against making politics more interesting. Far from it. It is about engaging young people in politics as it affects them. I think Corbyn has done this amazingly well. And even political meetings can be fun. As an historical foot note for Wealden comrades, I would point out that back in the days when Mike Anderson & David Motley were officers of Heathfield Labour Party, a business meeting would be followed by a fund raising quiz night with prizes.

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