Political Fantasy

Hello internet.

I have a confession, and though it makes me uncomfortable, I think it would be for the best if I came right out and admitted it. I suffer from political fantasies.

It has been happening for a while now, almost as long as I can remember. In my defence these episodes are usually brought about by what seems at the time a bright policy idea. Sometimes it is because of a flash of anger caused by the overwhelmingly apparent problems I see in the world to which there seem to be political solutions. I think I am not alone in this, that I am not the only person to have thought: if I only had the power...

My most recent fantasy involved me setting up a new political group or party called Youth Power. It sounds alarming and threatening to begin with, but I have always thought it is better to be upfront about these sorts of things.

The motivation for the party is as follows: young people currently have, and to some extent always have, had a very hard time getting by in life. There are many reasons for this, and though the root cause is somewhat hard to identify the problems manifested are all too visible. High house prices force young people to stay at home or at best remain in rented accomodation. Unemployment disproportionately afflicts young people. Students who are already sacrificing time that could be spent earning money in order to improve themselves for the good of the whole of society are forced into debt. Many face the humiliation of being told by the government their parents are too rich for them to qualify for financial support, effectively infantilising them as they must beg their parents for money, work at the cost of studying for their degree, or not eat.

Even worse, as Shiv Malik and Ed Howker point out in their book Jilted Generation, the proliferation of PFIs, unfunded pensions and high government debt mean that the excesses of today will be paid for by the taxpayers of the next generations. Intergenerational justice is a concept fast gaining credibility, and a group representing the interests of young people would help in encouraging policies less unfair for them.

Anyway that was the reason for that political fantasy. It is a filthy habit, but maybe if I can be honest to the internet I can be honest to myself. If I recognise there is a problem I might be able to rid myself of it.

Caleb