tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post5463718196293231179..comments2024-03-08T15:43:20.236+00:00Comments on Keynesian Liberal: No to votes at 16Peter Wrigleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-26493976749060614092012-10-30T12:20:42.067+00:002012-10-30T12:20:42.067+00:00Thanks for your comment. It's interesting tha...Thanks for your comment. It's interesting that, though engaged in higher rather than secondary education, you come to much the same conclusion as I. <br /><br />A full exploration of how to raise the level of interest and participation in politics is a topic for a book, or even a series, rather than a comment on a blog. I repeat that I doubt if putting more politics in the curriculum, or further fiddling with the mechanics of voting, are the answer and make three suggestions:<br /><br />1. As R A Butler said (though I believe he was quoting someone) "democracy is government by discussion." Children and young people therefore need, both in the families, schools, colleges and universities, to get used to taking part in meaningful discussion and participation in decision making in some parts of their lives that are important to them.<br /><br />2. The parties need to change their styles from: "This is what we will do for you if you vote for us," to building a system in which the government's task is to create an environment in which we are enabled, as individuals, families and communities, to do things for ourselves.<br /><br />3. The combative style in both parliament (Question Time - ugh!)and its reporting in the press needs to be replaced by intelligent discussion of alternatives.Peter Wrigleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16481117156930677255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4732407426313451205.post-83489264106331914392012-10-19T12:00:10.194+01:002012-10-19T12:00:10.194+01:00This is a debate worth having, I think, because yo...This is a debate worth having, I think, because you've put your finger on an important question: are many of our fellow-citizens sufficiently well-informed and mature to participate thoughtfully in our democracy? As a university lecturer (I've put a couple of guest posts on Liberal England as Dr Anonymous), my observation is that even many highly qualified 18 year olds are not. The level of public debate and civic participation in our society is declining. Whether votes for 16 year olds are a good idea or not, the issue needs to be considered in that context. (I’m not advocating, by the way, some sort of test to allow voting rights, as in the pre-Civil Rights era southern states!) Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com