Political participation can be defined as the democratic participation in the decisions impacting one’s life, expressed for example through freedom of speech and voting. Political participation, we know, is highly evident in developed nations. North America is a large section of the world that relies on responsible political participation, that is, the participation of individuals only under certain guidelines. Dependent on area, these guidelines are supposed to ensure that political participation is done in right judgment. Federally, Canada’s voting age has been set to the age of 18 since 1970. Western and Northern Europe are also areas of the world where political participation is done under strict guidelines to ensure that the best decisions are made.
There are still some places in the world, however, where political participation are either corrupted by the government in power or disregarded completely. In newly-industrialising as well as developing countries, the voice of political participation is second to the voice of corruption within the government or from influencing powers. Countries that suffer from this are located usually within Asia, Africa, or South America. In addition to corruption, political participation is disregarded within communist, dictatorial, or even militarist regimes. In countries such as China, a totalitarian regime is in place with no democracy and penalties in place for speaking out against the government. In countries such as Cuba, the communist tendencies of the government tend to rule out the voice of the people, even though the communism places equality for all.
We, as a group, feel that political participation is not yet put into the full practice that it could be put into. We know that, in places such as Canada, political participation has been put into place and encouraged. Even though this is in place, we feel that people do not take the voting opportunity seriously. Given the opportunity, those who live under rulers who do not take their own participation would surely vote and express their political views without restraint. However, we think that people are too complacent in the developed world and that they feel they can change nothing (or do not want to change anything).
The concept of political participation can be linked to the social justice issue of totalitarian and dictatorial regimes in power across the world today. As mentioned before, China is one of the highest profile totalitarian states in recent history. The link that can be drawn between the two is to enable political participation for the people of, for example, China. In a country where protests are stopped violently (Tiananmen Square protests of 1989), political participation would hopefully allow for the peaceful demonstration of people to go unpunished. Furthermore, rightful political participation should allow for citizens to not be afraid of the state and its punishments. The people of, for example, China should not live in fear to talk against the state, nor should the state enforce its totalitarian views upon the people.
As Christians, we should respond to political participation positively, especially for the good of all people worldwide. If people live oppressed by their governments around the world, then it is very possible for Christians in the developed world to rally the people and tell the governments of issues at hand. While the government may be more concerned with internal affairs or international relations, the benefit of democracy is that the people have a say in the people in office. To help the oppressed, it is very realistic to write to the government and, if enough support is gained for the causes at hand, then the government may see that the issue is truly one that needs to be addressed. The only thing hindering this is our non-willingness to commit to the issues.
There are still some places in the world, however, where political participation are either corrupted by the government in power or disregarded completely. In newly-industrialising as well as developing countries, the voice of political participation is second to the voice of corruption within the government or from influencing powers. Countries that suffer from this are located usually within Asia, Africa, or South America. In addition to corruption, political participation is disregarded within communist, dictatorial, or even militarist regimes. In countries such as China, a totalitarian regime is in place with no democracy and penalties in place for speaking out against the government. In countries such as Cuba, the communist tendencies of the government tend to rule out the voice of the people, even though the communism places equality for all.
We, as a group, feel that political participation is not yet put into the full practice that it could be put into. We know that, in places such as Canada, political participation has been put into place and encouraged. Even though this is in place, we feel that people do not take the voting opportunity seriously. Given the opportunity, those who live under rulers who do not take their own participation would surely vote and express their political views without restraint. However, we think that people are too complacent in the developed world and that they feel they can change nothing (or do not want to change anything).
The concept of political participation can be linked to the social justice issue of totalitarian and dictatorial regimes in power across the world today. As mentioned before, China is one of the highest profile totalitarian states in recent history. The link that can be drawn between the two is to enable political participation for the people of, for example, China. In a country where protests are stopped violently (Tiananmen Square protests of 1989), political participation would hopefully allow for the peaceful demonstration of people to go unpunished. Furthermore, rightful political participation should allow for citizens to not be afraid of the state and its punishments. The people of, for example, China should not live in fear to talk against the state, nor should the state enforce its totalitarian views upon the people.
As Christians, we should respond to political participation positively, especially for the good of all people worldwide. If people live oppressed by their governments around the world, then it is very possible for Christians in the developed world to rally the people and tell the governments of issues at hand. While the government may be more concerned with internal affairs or international relations, the benefit of democracy is that the people have a say in the people in office. To help the oppressed, it is very realistic to write to the government and, if enough support is gained for the causes at hand, then the government may see that the issue is truly one that needs to be addressed. The only thing hindering this is our non-willingness to commit to the issues.
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