FREE THINKING: EXPLORE THE REALMS OF KNOWLEDGE

This year seems to be ‘Election Year’, at least 64 countries have gone or are to go to the polls. Elections are not a recent phenomenon, in ancient Greece and Rome, citizens voted on legislation, executive bills, and those they wished to represent them.

Perhaps we associate elections with democracy and liberal regimes, needless to say, authoritarian and dictatorships will hold such exercises to give legitimacy to their rule.

Political elections in the Western Hemisphere have evolved over time and generally are undertaken fairly and observed by independent observers to ensure fairness.

Many of us are unaware of the cost of free and fair elections, in terms of the sacrifices made by previous generations that made them possible.

The first electorate recorded In the UK consisted of those having property and land.  In 1867 many working-class men in urban areas were eligible to vote and in 1884 a more uniform franchise across boroughs and counties was adopted. However, not until 1928 were women entitled to cast their vote.

Today all adults over 18 years of age can place their X on the ballot form; this may well be reduced to 16 in the next few years.

Currently, in the UK and the West there is a lot of scepticism about politics; ranging from those who believe all politicians are not trustworthy, to a growing number who feel a more populous and right-wing representative is more honourable and speaks the truth.  

The dangers associated with both views may well be a threat to democracies and lead to more dictators and despots.

Sadly, mainstream politics seems to have lost its way and lacks originality and direction. Political parties in the UK have slick manifestos that are launched in a way that is reminiscent of the USA’s primaries, caucuses, and conventions yet their policies are similar to each other.

Minority groups are radical and tend to be more aware of the ordinary voters yet will have no say in the legislation that will follow after a General Election.

Perhaps the answer is to embrace some new ideas which might help to revive the decline in political interest; these might well need to be radical and relevant to the younger generations to follow.