When I was in junior high and high school I was basically taught that politics is about tax and ministers. When I graduated, and thus was old enough to vote, had I not known what I would vote for if there had been an election that year, 2012 I did not know how it affected me. I just knew everyone around me said it was important, but not why.
It was only when I met new friends, who were older and politically engaged as I understood that politics is not all just about the gray old men. At that time I was almost 20 years old. Only now I realized that it was about how we live our lives, the right to different kinds of freedom, and that politics pervades everything in the whole society.
So, now that I began to understand what it was all about, I already knew what I wanted and it was not long before I realized that I, like my friends and relatives, was red (To the left side). Later I realized that I was left party (Vänsterpartist). The reasons I am this are quite obvious:
First I want that every person should have the opportunity to educate themselves, based on ability, not money. Profit is not the way to equal education for all, because it will save as much as possible to not distribute books and pens, hiring teachers, etc. .... to go with more profit and money in their pocket.
2. I want each person to develop the ability, by gaining the support he/she need to get there. Simply by getting the help of those who can help. He/she should be encouraged to pass elementary school, for example, instead of threatened to do so.
3. I want society to see the reason behind people's situations and behaviors. If a seven-year boy bully a girl in his class, he is probably not evil, just need to get out feelings he got from somewhere else. The question then is where. Such an analysis would provide security for both the (possible future) criminals as victims, in the long term. We need a social secure grid.
4. I want everyone to know what rape is, and not believe that the only form of it is a when a girl or woman becomes physically incapable of defending herself by one or more boys or men. In order to fix this problem we need not only a consent law, but also a sensible sex education.
5. Sex education needs to be improved in general. Even in the home. To provide information about how and why we reproduce, what sex is ... etc., etc .... that responsibility should not passed on to each other; so please, hold courses in how both teachers and parents caneducate their children of different ages. And do not assume that everyone knows everything and does not need more information, just because they start college. At my college we had guest teachers who talked about sex and relationships .... sometimes ... once a year ... it was not taken up on biology lessons. And I even studied in one of the better schools.
6 Now you can see that I list things about childhood, and yes, it all starts right there. But it also requires a secure family to grow up in, and something which plays a major role is the economy. I think a lack of finances can be the basis for both stress, anxiety and depression, which in turn expresses itself in, among other things: Violence and neglect of other family members. And then one sees immediately how everything is connected; Point three is needed for the adults and for their children and, future generations to feel secure.
7 But ... What should finance this? My answer is, like Robin Hood, that the rich should share with the poor. This is precisely because of paragraph 6: Poverty = insecure society. So those who are already living on a meager economy, or just have got to a stable one, should hardly be those who themselves will solve the problems of people who have it worse. Those who have more than enough to feel secure and happy in both the present and the future, can not be hurt by paying a little tax.
8. Taxes are not a punishment in for one who managed to work up a good salary. The tax is an investment, if used in the right way; That is put on schools, health care, social services and other security. It gives more than it takes because right invested tax money leads to greater financial as well as social well-being of the lower classes, which then creates a security for the upper classes. Furthermore, whouldn't it feel good to know that you contribute to a better society, that you help?
9 The economy is not the only thing that can cause problems for families. socialization plays at least as big a role in people's lives, but the problem that exists today is that we barely have time to socialize properly. We don't have the energy nor time to socialize. Somewhere something has to be very wrong if you work to relax, but then are too stressed to feel free and relaxed once you are done for the day/week. Stress of job affects, not only those who work full-time. Even those who do not work at all, or do not work enough, become stressed by the mere thought of this problem. So, again; Those may very well share? Those who work eight hours can go down to six hours per day. It would increase the need for more employees, while people would have time to actually live their lives. Also keep in mind that unemployment is a money-eating hole in society.
10 Last but not least, I also want to mention the environment. I'm not versed in environmental politics, but I know I do not want the money I earn to contribute to open even more coal mines in countries where other (but also we ourselves long term) will be affected. So away with the profit motive and, I say invest tax money in research and renewable energy. (The same applies to small businesses and their customers who are tempted to buy stuff just because it is environmentally friendly, not to buy them instead of non-eco friendly stuff.) Profit motive may yield profits for some, short-term, but not for anyone, long term.
So .... what do I want with this "small" text? Well I want to show you what politics are really about, and how it permeates the whole of society, affecting the future, and going in circles. Everything affects everything; through generations. I wished that I knew that this is what politics is all about already when I should have known it already, when I was old enough to vote.
P.S
Wealth / prosperity / freedom ... whatever you call it -is not measured in how much money you have in your wallet. It does not matter if you can afford the newest flat screen TV if you do not feel confident to survive and do not have the same opportunities as your fellow man.
P.P.S
Many thanks to John Donovan for suprisingly translate it for me. :)
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