What People Need to Understand About Politics
Whether we consider the U.S. federalism, the British constitutional monarchy, the Iranian theocracy, or the Chilean dictatorship.. it feels like politics doesn’t satisfy anyone anywhere in the world.
Why might this be? Chances are high, that you’ve felt frustration about social inequality in your country. Or is it the collective failure to address global challenges like climate change? Perhaps it is skepticism regarding politicians genuinely representing public interests. Is it bureaucratic inefficiency? Redundant regulations? Concerns about hasty changes?
Here in Germany, these challenges resonate loudly. Yet, I scarcely know anyone advocating for a wider wealth gap or wishing for the continuation of climate change. It appears we all dream of a brighter future, so what’s the barrier?
There is no lack of Ideas.
It’s compelling to realize that many of these challenges have viable solutions already in practice somewhere. For instance:
- Did you know that countries like Iceland or Costa Rica are powered entirely by renewable energies? [1]
- Or that Estonia has largely digitized its administration? [2]
- That South Korea showcases a modern, inclusive healthcare system? [3]
- Or that Luxembourg’s gender pay gap is a mere 0.7%? [4]
Why can some nations solve these challenges while others flounder? Why can they not just adapt these best practices? Such questions echo frequently in my circles.
If you take one, you lose one.
Every country possesses unique strengths; so called ‘low-hanging fruits.’ For instance, Iceland’s geography favors two of the greenest and cheepest energy sources (hydro and geothermal), while Estonia implemented a impressively simple tax system, though easily digitized, doesn’t emphasize wealth distribution. Achieving similar milestones elsewhere might demand much more time and resources.
But resources are limited. Even though there are many great solutions around the world, only a few can be put into action within an usual legislative period because of limitations in finance, workforce, or material. So, we don’t need to look out for good ideas, but we have to choose which ones to focus on. In simple terms: Advancing in one area might mean less progress in another. For example, spending more resources on healthcare could mean there is not enough left for pensions. Encouraging students to study engineering might lead to fewer studying IT. Some political plans might focus on boosting resources with business-friendly rules, affecting social fairness or the environment.
This balancing act is evident when considering leaders like Barack Obama, who advanced healthcare but grappled with unemployment, or Angela Merkel, acclaimed for her refugee stance but critiqued for digital oversight. Every leader must make choices based on resource limitations and thus automatically deprioritizes other important challenges.
Imagine being at the helm. What would be your priorities? And could you live with the criticism that you have to neglect other challenges because of it?
Whoever lies, wins. Let’s change that.
At his core, an effective politician should be able to..
- Choose the most important challenges and solutions (considering the low-hanging fruits, the well-being of the citizens, and the current political situation),
- Create realistic plans,
- And possess the capability to drive them to completion.
When it comes to elections, the primary focus for many voters is on the policies and stances a party promotes, especially when these are backed by prominent figures. This means that most of the attention is centered on the first bullet point — the selection of key challenges ans solutions. Thus, in an electoral landscape, where parties aim for the broadest voter appeal, the party that authentically mirrors the most public concerns often will take the lead.
In simple terms: we as citizens incentivize parties to make excessive promises, somehow leading them to lie.
To stop this behavior, it’s crucial to consider the other two bullet points: assessing the realism of a party’s plans and their ability to follow through on those plans. In a world where the quality of a plan suddenly matters, parties begin to optimize themselves accordingly. But do we, as voters, dig deep into how practical promises are? Do we check how consistently politicians have delivered on their past promises? Reflecting on my involvement in politics, I admit I haven’t always done this as thoroughly as I should.
That’s why I’ve developed a decision-making checklist to guide my voting decisions. I’d like to share a simplified version of it with you, just scroll down to the next picture.
Using sources like newspaper excerpts, electoral programs, and tools like ChatGPT, this checklist can help give a clearer picture without demanding too much of your time.
Conclusion.
In the multifaceted realm of politics, identifying solutions is just a fraction of the challenge; the true art lies in balancing priorities within constrained resources. Every nation has its own low-hanging fruits and unique struggles, and while the world offers a plethora of best practices, adapting them isn’t always straightforward. As citizens, it’s essential for us to realize that politicians must prioritize and that in doing so, some areas will inevitably be left in the shadow. Instead of being swayed by mere promises, we must evaluate their feasibility and the track record of those who make them. By refining our perspective and utilizing tools like the Voting Decision Checklist, we can foster a more informed and realistic political dialogue. To truly engage in politics is to understand its intricacies and to play an active role in crafting the brighter future we all envision.
If you enjoyed the text, it’s worth following me on Medium. As a multifaceted individual, I write on various topics, but especially on artificial intelligence, politics, and the energy industry.
[1] 5 places running on 100% renewable energy — World Smart Cities Forum
[2] How Estonia became a digital society (cnbc.com)
[3] Guide to Health Insurance and Healthcare System in South Korea | InterNations GO
[4] 52 Gender Pay Gap Statistics In 2023 — Forbes Advisor
[5] Voting Behavior (umich.edu)
