Dangers of political apathy III
Civic Education S.S.S 2 First Term
WEEK 9
Dangers of political apathy III
Performance Objectives
Student should be able to:
1. List ways of fighting political apathy
2. Explain the ways of fighting political apathy
Content
1. Dangers of political apathy
- knowing and defending our rights
- participating in elections
- joining popular organisations
Dangers of Political Apathy
Political apathy will have a negative effect on individual and government
Political apathy will lead to bad government
It will lead to the emergence of thugs and greedy politician emerging as leaders
It will lead to a lack of communication between the government and the citizens
It will lead to a denial of political information and education
Political apathy will cause the government to behave anyhow since people are not interested in their activities.
Ways of fighting Political Apathy
The central point of democracy is the participation of the citizens in the democratic process. The spirit of democracy is ” people-centred” as majority rule is often listed as a major characteristic of democracy.
However, when people in a political system become indifference to the Democratic process and the government, there can be stagnation to the development of the nation. If political apathy is left uncontrolled, there can be disorder, violence and revolution which could have been averted and resolved by people’s participation and total involvement in the political process.
Thus, the various way of fighting political apathy are as follows:
Political Awareness
People should strive to know what is going on in their political system. They should understand and have current awareness of various developments and activities of the government in their country. The teaching of Civic Education in schools is one of the ways to make students understand and have the awareness of a democratic system. This measure will curb political apathy in the society. Knowledge, it is said, is power.
Understanding and Knowing Political Rights
Citizens, apart from understanding the democratic system, should be aware of their rights and duties in the democratic system and perform their duties as expected.
Performing Civic Duties
Another major way to curb political indifference of the citizens towards political activities is to encourage and make them perform their political duties and obligations to their nation and the government. They should respect and obey the law; serve their fatherland and pay their taxes regularly for government to provide basic amenities.
Participation in Elections
The best way to fight political apathy is the participation of citizens in elections. Citizens should be ready to vote and defend their votes to instil their will on the system. The people’s wish cannot be instituted if they do not defend and stand by it.
Joining Popular Organizations
Political apathy can also be cured by encouraging citizens to join popular political and civil society groups or associations. Through these organizations, they can make their opinions known and collectively fight and also protect the rule of law which is the foundation of civilized society.
Defending Rights
Citizens should be ready to defend their rights in the face of opposition or hindrance. It is one thing to be aware of the rights, but it is another to be able to defend it. Citizens should be ready to defend their rights against arbitrary arrests, secret trials, intimidation, cruel or degrading treatment or punishment and delay in legal adjudication among other infringement on their rights.
Poverty Reduction/Eradication
People who are poor do not have the time or interest in politics. All they do is toil from dusk to dawn in search of basic necessities example food, clothing and shelter. Consequently, if poverty is reduced or completely eradicated in the society, more people will find time for politics.