Should Government and Politics be made compulsory at school
In light of the hysteria following an entirely legal, properly conducted referendum, which took place with plenty of warning, and in fact 48 hours extra opportunity to register to vote, should we make it compulsory to study Government and Politics in the UK so that in future, whether it is in Local or General Elections or potential future referendums, everyone understands the implications?
Referendums are, in actuality, a bad way of deciding anything, and the way that our Parliamentary democracy is meant to work actually precludes referendums as a means of deciding anything. In reality, a General Election should be called on a single issue, potential MPs make their case to their constituents and are elected. They then vote their conscience based on their interactions with their constituents when an Act of Parliament is presented. This tends not to be the way that it goes though now, as the cost of running a General Election, combined with the rise of Party Politics, means it is not possible to handle things in this way.
Ensuring that the entire electorate understands the democratic process, the in’s and out’s of the UK political system, and the genuine privilege that being able to vote is might just make things simpler in the future. At least there wouldn’t be so many people confused and angry with the result that either didn’t vote, or who did vote but just didn’t get the outcome they thought they would.
