Whatever country you look at, there’s no denying that the political landscape is confusing. Many people struggle to differentiate the real from the fake news, and with so many contradicting resources, they can’t make up their own minds. This leads many people to avoid voting altogether – or even sometimes to end up voting for a party that does not have their best interests at heart.
If you’ve followed my writing for a while, you know that I’ve made a career of writing about politics and economics. But if you’ve never been “political,” and have an interest before the 2020 election here in the U.S., these quick tips can help you identify where to start.
Take the World’s Smallest Political Quiz
Are you conservative? Liberal? Centrist? Or maybe libertarian? Politics is more than left and right and the World’s Smallest Political Quiz has been helping individuals discover their political ideology for years.
Read Through Party Manifestos
Reading through party manifestos is one of the easiest ways to figure out what each party is saying they are going to achieve, and what you most agree with. If it’s all too much for you, then picking a handful of topics you care most about and seeing where each party stands on those will help. For example, you could look at climate change, homelessness, foreign policy, and economic and personal rights. It all depends on what is most important to you.
Look At Party Members and Leaders
The party members and leaders make up the party itself and can tell you a lot about what’s going on. Do they have a history of sticking to their promises? Have they lied in the past? Do they tend to say things you agree with or disagree with? What is their voting history like? Do lots of research!
Avoid Propaganda
Does it seem outlandish? Geared towards a particular outcome? Propaganda can exist on both sides, and it can be extremely dangerous when it comes to spreading a false narrative. Below, the infographic will help you to figure out the history of propaganda and hopefully give you the tools you need to spot it in the future.
Credit to Norwich University
