Australian Government: The Power of The People

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Morgan Alexis Ward                                                                          Monday, May 4, 2015

The Power of The People

        There are several ways in which people can actively participate in government in an effective way, but two of those ways are voting and political protesting. Of course there are instances when some feel that voting does not make a difference if the candidate that they voted for does not get elected or that protests do not accomplish anything if you do not see the change that you were hoping for, however, they can actually have a large impact on the outcome of a political election or trying in to cease a particular action of the government.

        Voting is a form of personal empowerment that gives you the opportunity to voice your opinion on issues that matter to you, your family and your community. It is a concept well known by the citizens of democratic nations, as it should be, voting is responsible for many decisions that take place within nations, including who will serves as President, Prime Minister, Supreme Court Judges, mayors, etc. “Political parties and other political, social, economic, religious and cultural organizations and groups mobilize voters… Analysis of voting as collective action requires us to pay attention…to organization, mobilization, collective resources, political opportunity and power” (Kornbluh, pg. 139). Considering how important of the action of voting is, as it determines important roles in government, people should surely want for their opinions to be heard and be more able to see the groups and organizations that you affiliate with, or most closely align, be a strong force within the government.

        In the report, Social Participation of Young People from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, it is mentioned that voting participation has been on the decline in the United States of America and in the United Kingdom, which has become a concern for those nations. However, in Australia, where there is compulsory voting, it is far less of an issue. “There is concern in these countries that recent low rates of voting among young people may reflect not only a lifecycle stage but also continue a historical change to lower levels of voting. Australia has a high voter turnout because voting is compulsory, and so the extent of underlying engagement is harder to assess” (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006). While this shows that voting is a major concern for the democratic governments and that they want for their citizens of age to actively participate in government, it does not tell why they think it is important and what the benefits may be. The legitimacy of a government lies within the fact that it is elected. Low voter turnouts may call into question this democratic legitimacy. Even though democratic government consists of much more than simply holding elections every few years, voting is a powerful way to send a message to governments and politicians about what the people really want.

        The report also discussed statistical information from students in year 12 who had just reached voting age and asked them about the political activities that they either had already taken part in or would take part in if the opportunity presented itself. “As part of the study, a national survey of Year 12 school students found that a large majority (82%) agreed that 'voting was important' and 87% reported they would vote in Federal elections when eligible. However, only 50% felt that they would vote if it were not compulsory” (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2006).

        While many see voting as an important right, and in Australia, an obligation, 50% of these young students said that if it were not compulsory they would not vote. There is a clear disconnect between the majority thinking that it is significant and only half would actually do it even though it is viewed as an important act. According to a study done by the Canadian government, many young voters choose not to vote because they believe that politicians do not care about youth issues or do not make an effort to speak directly to the young voters (Uppal, pg. 3). However, when politicians know in advance that many young people will not vote, based on previous elections, they may become less interested in exerting the energy to be responsive to the issues that matter to the youth when they can focus on demographics that vote more frequently (Uppal, pg. 5). It is important for all members to cast their votes in order to heard in a society with so many voices. If there is something about the political system that you would like to change or you would simply like to contribute, one of the easiest ways to do that is to vote. It is not very time consuming and it is a great way to make sure that your opinion is considered.