Wednesday, 13th February 2008
The politics of change
I was musing as to the possibility of attributing to a word so many varying connotations and implications. This thought was triggered by two juxtaposed billboards, both centred round the concept of change. Moving away from the ubiquity of the word, which goes without saying, it is the layers of meaning behind it that never fail to intrigue me. In such a context, waxing lyrical about a need for change could be construed as partisan rhetoric, but such is neither intended nor desired.
I believe that change has happened. I am not referring to change which has occurred internally within party ranks or even within the structures of the organs of the state, but change in the context and in the underlying currents which form the backdrop to our social scheme of things.
Perhaps the word ‘fresh’ is somewhat as odious - fresh faces, fresh ideas, fresh everything. But this word has in turn been charged with so much more than its face value meaning. It feels like this demand for “freshness” and change has led to youthfulness being an asset for budding politicians, rather than a liability. Typically, it was experience and a seasoned career which lay at the basis of a voting rationale. My feeling now is that what both major parties are in dire need of are young faces to spruce up the situation.
If one were to apply this to the present election run-up it makes sense because of the particular situation our country is in. I do not say this merely because the Nationalist Party has held sway for more than 20 years and the Labour party has had the same party structures for little less, but because I believe that the bipolar nature of our political context leads to a tendency to crave for revolution in terms of the candidates these parties put forward, rather than the parties themselves. My perspective naturally is that of a student, the niche of the population which is more prone to seek such innovation.
In a broader sense, one could also see that in many ways the gap between seasoned politicians and newer ones has been minimized in several respects. The technological divide has advantaged the younger generation, whilst the globalisation and voyeurism which this phenomenon have implied has meant that kids become men of the world fully aware of its implications much before.
Political campaigns in many ways are akin to a Supply and Demand Curve. They cater for the perceived demand of the people. Consequently, the propaganda machine of the Labour party has supplied the promise of change, PN has focussed on its new leader. It might be an exercise in naiveté to infer that technological advances, calls for dynamism and an increased number of young local councillors and general election candidates signify an increase in demand for the young politician. This doesn’t imply the expiration of the experienced politician but is just to say that perhaps the real change lies in making room for youth amongst our legislature, rather than seeking change where it may not necessarily be found.
Alessandra Camilleri is the external relations officer of Insite, the University students' media organisation.
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