Changing society: Participate to change the world

There has hardly been a moment in the last half century when the lives of ordinary people have not been more influenced by politics, or more correctly, the management of economies and fiscal policies, through politics.

Or, if expressed differently, there has hardly been a moment in those 50 years when political decisions about which services are protected, cut or expanded, and which taxes are increased, has had a more immediate impact on the quality of life enjoyed or anticipated by millions of Europeans.

There has hardly been a moment either when multi-state intervention was more needed to protect ordinary communities’ falling living standards and the relentless concentration of wealth among a tiny minority. It seems vital too to do more to effectively control capitalism’s wildest excesses to protect the great sweep of humanity that depends on stability and credibility in the markets.

Yet, despite that absolute, tightening influence there has hardy been a moment in those 50 years when fewer people participate in the political process by voting. There has, despite a once-in-a-lifetime challenge to the ideals of progress, well-being, access to education and cradle-to-grave social security — the unspoken but irreplaceable social charter — a detachment from the process of social organisation, administration and development we call politics.

Less than half of Europe’s population vote, fewer still take an active part in political activism. This detachment, this leave-it-to-the-others opt out seems a particularly futile response to a system that, whether you participate in it or not, controls your life to a very large degree. It also leaves the field free for extremists of all colours, the patently incompetent, venal or offensive. It also sustains the well-endowed dynasties who always manage to hold onto a seat at the top table irrespective of which way the wind blows.

Early figures suggest that only 43% of Europeans voted in last week’s European election. Although the figure was slightly higher in Ireland, barely half the population bothered to vote. That statistic is even more challenging when so many of those who voted endorsed candidates who are essentially anti-politics or in some instances deeply euro-sceptic. An almost unprecedented number spoiled their votes as a a-plague-on-all-your-houses protest.

Since the result of the elections became apparent politicians, depending on whether they were winners or losers, have promised all sorts of things. The rejected and humiliated have promised to act on voters’ concerns and to better reflect society’s hopes. The winners have promised to hold the establishment to account and drive positive change. Those responses are so threadbare and so pathetically Pavlovian that it is a mystery that even those who make them pretend to believe them.

It will be some years before we have local or European elections again but we will have a general election in less than two years. Irrespective of how many of us don’t vote those elected will run the country and unless more people participate in politics it is probably wishful thinking to imagine that any great change will follow. It seems time for more of us to surrender the comforts enjoyed by that great but useless authority — the hurler on the ditch. The only way to change anything is to get involved — politics is not a spectator sport.