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Youth Politics

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
I am interested in politics and tried calling the political parties in Reading today, but the lib dem place said they didnt have anything for teenagers in Reading and to try London, and then my parents came home and needed to use the phone, so I didnt get to try anyone else..
How can you get into it?
I am 15 and interested in debate and politics, and figure if I can get more self esteem then I'm pretty good at making my point.. But I don't really know much about what the different parties think and don't want to go join some youth politics thing that doesnt DO anything other than support the adults, and I dont want to join a pary then find that my ideas are closer to a different one.
I want to do something that makes a difference. And not that I'm cynical or anything, but is that actually possible in the UK at the moment?

Help please..I basically know nothing about it..

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    There is a youth parliament sometimes, and the Model United Nations is fairly regular, but I don't have links or anything. Maybe Google it?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by piccolo
    There is a youth parliament sometimes, and the Model United Nations is fairly regular, but I don't have links or anything. Maybe Google it?

    Yeah there is a UK youth Parliament. I almost stood but it would have taken up to much time in an important exam year. Also i would have to leave it when i get to Uni.

    Um there are Young Conservatives i guess if you go that way :eek2:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Have you tried the official websites of the various parties? If there are single issues your interested in, you might want to look at campaigning groups also i.e Greenpeace, Amnesty, English Heritage etc
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've tried googling but havent found anything for Reading, and am too broke to travel anywhere else..
    What is wrong with this country to not have something to do with youth politics in a large town anyway? Bah.
    I dont want anything that takes too much time I guess, as I'll be doing AS levels next year, but I'm willing to do this rather than going out occassionally..
    What's the difference between a campaigning group and a party?

    I tried this link
    http://bubl.ac.uk/uk/parties.htm
    but didnt find it all that helpful. And the only youth page i could find was one that has been posted on here already, where an MP is talking in text speak and stuff, and I got majorly freaked out!

    These sites are trying to make me pay to see their manifestos??? I don't have £2.50!!

    I really don't know if my views are considered left or right or middle or anything though..is there a quiz?
    I found some quizzes and youth things, but they were for the US..

    edit: what about http://www.thirdway.org/ ? Are they recognised? I havent read it in full yet though, opinions?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    A campaigning group is usually concerned with a single issue i.e
    Amnesty - human rights, whereas a political party will generally have policies that concern many issues that affect the country.

    http://www.politicalcompass.org/ is a good quiz.

    One of the best ways to introduce yourself to politics is through gaining an interest in current affairs. I would say at this stage rather than joining any party you may be best of doing some research by buying newspapers regularly and/or reading their online editions and the BBC news website. These often provide links to the organizations mentioned in the stories if you wish to know more.

    I haven't had a chance to look at the websites you put up but will let you know.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Find out if you've got a local youth council! Contact connexions - they should know if there is one. I'm a member of my local youth council, and my gf is chair of another one.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Renzokuken
    Um there are Young Conservatives i guess if you go that way :eek2:
    Didn't they try to be cool by calling themselves Future Conservatives UK ?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    On the quiz I am:
    Economic Left/Right: -4.88
    Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.21
    and the famous people I am like are Mandela and the Dalai Lama, which I wouldnt have guessed.
    I found 6 interesting looking books on the same website though, so am hopefully going to be able to convince mum she needs to pay me back if i buy them today, as they'll extend my vocabulary before my gcse english!
    Are local youth councils listened to? I'll ask in town today.
    If they are fcuk then LOL, but im sure theyre happy with it :P
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Nice test... My results were:

    Economic Left/Right: -9.38
    Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.23

    The minus is left and libertarian... Hmm...
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by lukesh
    Your political compass
    Economic Left/Right: -2.00
    Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: 2.92


    Would someone explain this to me?
    Nobody can except guys who have invented this skewed compass.
    I got -2 and -3 that placed me very close to the central point. So from their point of view I am a good law-obeying citizen-sheepizen, a voter for one of the main mafia gangs and a brainless Times/Guardian reader… not good for anarchist’s self-esteem. :)
    Their algorithm is wrong so don’t take it seriously.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm a left wing authoritarian.
    Up with the NHS!
    Just make sure you're home before curfew.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by burningwings
    I've tried googling but havent found anything for Reading, and am too broke to travel anywhere else..
    What is wrong with this country to not have something to do with youth politics in a large town anyway? Bah.

    Go to your local library and ask for the last general election manifestos. Also try a book called 'Politics UK' by Bill Jones
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Whowhere
    I'm a left wing authoritarian.
    Up with the NHS!
    Just make sure you're home before curfew.
    I never had any doubts you are a pure Stalinist.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    He's as much of an Stalinist as you are an anarchist. :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    One of tens of this Political Compass’s errors.
    The question “There are no savage and civilised peoples; there are only different cultures» means: if you say Yes you are a good boy, a socialistic “libertarian“. If you say No you are a bad boy, a conservative racist who thinks cannibalism is not a part of a national culture but a sin forbidden by WASP God.
    But both options are far away from reality and common sense. “Civilised” people are common people who respect their neighbours’ property rights. “Savages” are people who ’respect’ their greed and lust for power only. So, for example, cowboys of American Wild West were quite civilised people while modern British government is a tribe of savages.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Aladdin
    He's as much of an Stalinist as you are an anarchist. :D
    Sorry, but he IS a Stalinist. You can find his opinions about informing authorities about people not paying taxes. ( look at archives). He said clearly he would inform on anybody, regardless how poor they are. Even the most socialists here reject this kind of ‘patriotism‘.
    Then,
    I AM an anarchist. Don’t take everything Blagsta says seriously. He (she?) tries to show me as an ignorant child not knowing anything about anarchist theory. But I read stuff written not only by D. Friedman and M. Rothbard but also things written by Tucker, Kropotkin, Spooner and I am not a naïve kid, be sure.
    Plus… I am an anarchist by heritage. Does Blagsta have Anarchist ancestors fighting and dying for their ideas? I have!!!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by xicoperez
    Nice test... My results were:

    Economic Left/Right: -9.38
    Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.23

    The minus is left and libertarian... Hmm...

    Economic Left/Right: -7.00
    Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.64


    Im a less extreme version of you :p
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