Changing Political Views

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I was raised as a socialist (since both my parents were socialist) and am now centre-right, so I consider that a pretty drastic shift right.

[JAG]

Well since I am only 22, it is not your target audiance, however I shall give a response anyway.

When I started getting into politics and thinking about things - I was what, 14/15 - I was misinformed and completely bigoted and was a little wanna be fascist . When I really got into politics at the age of 16/17 and actually looking at the reality of situations and getting facts and the full story behind things, I became somewhat of a complete lefty - bordering on anarchist communism. Well actually not bordering at all, definitely becoming one.

Over the last couple of years though, some realities have sunk in which you just never wanna give in to when you are getting involved in causes, socialism and politics in general at a young age - such as Britain never leaving the capitalist economic system we have at the moment. My side made a bad case for our side and we lost the argument and Britain is changed forever. So because of this and a few other reasons I have somewhat lessoned my stance on many issues. Economicaly I am far less radical and socialist - I think most people would describe my views on the economy as 'far left' in our current political situation (and that is simply because I believe in higher taxation and a better redistributive model), but I don't wanna overthrow the economic system and I believe some taxes may need to be kept low, etc. Where my views haven't budged is on social and liberal policies. I am still somewhat of an extreme social liberal with serious sympathies towards anarcism, and I don't see that changing. After all, my side still has a shot at winning that argument - we are winning the social aspect, but not the more liberal aspect.

ho hum.

[Don Corleone]

I don't know that my stance on social issues has shifted all that much. Maybe a smidge to the right, but on social issues, I've always been rather centrist anyway.

But I've found my economic stance sliding somewhat left. Now, before you choke on your chocolate milk, you should understand that I used to a full-fledged, eager-beaver Capitalista. I had no sympathy, no mercy for those who were not successful. I almost had a Calvinist approach towards success, that it was pre-destined. In my mind, in a land with as many opportunities as America had to offer, you had no excuse. You could be as successful as you were willing to be. If you had some financial difficulties, it was all because you either 1) didn't work hard enough (and therefore didn't earn enough) or 2) didn't know how to control your expenditures.

As I've gotten older, I've come to see shades of gray in that regard. I still believe a self-motivated individual will always make better choices regarding their own financial outlook than a bloated government bureacracy will. But I also understand that not everyone will make wise decisions, and safety nets just make sense.

[Rhyfelwyr]

I almost had a Calvinist approach towards success, that it was pre-destined.

Scottish Calvinists tend to be lefties.

[Tribesman]

I used to think that most politicians were reasonably OK and that a few of them only fit into the absolute gobshite category .
Now I think that just about all are absolute gobshites and a few of them at a push might just squeeze into the reasonably OK category if you really stretch the limits of what can be deemed as reasonably OK .

[LittleGrizzly]

I would say if anything since i started taking an interest in politics at about the age of 15/16 i have moved slightly right, i don't know if this is so much down to my political views changing, i think its more to do with me shaping my actual views and becoming more informed over the last seven years...

[Mikeus Caesar]

When i was younger i leaned completely to the left. But then i was unemployed for 6 months and had lots of time to think, during which i realised that in this day and age, in any in fact, communism is utterly impractical. It just doesn't work and only leads to bad things. So now while i'm still leftist, i'm the kind of left that most of you Americans regard Europe to be - free healthcare for all and all that jazz. I would die to defend our right to free healthcare in Britain and Europe.

[macsen rufus]

I would die to defend our right to free healthcare in Britain and Europe.

I'm sure there's many anti-NHS jokes lurking in there....

[Evil_Maniac From Mars]

I used to think that most politicians were reasonably OK and that a few of them only fit into the absolute gobshite category .
Now I think that just about all are absolute gobshites and a few of them at a push might just squeeze into the reasonably OK category if you really stretch the limits of what can be deemed as reasonably OK .

I'll say the same thing to you that I say to anyone else who thinks politicians are bad - you try it. Come back, and tell me how it was.

Of course, some politicians are woefully inept (Mr. Brown), but not the majority.

[Lemur]

My political views are too all-over-the-map to fit into a left-right paradigm. For instance, I can truthfully state that I believe in the right of married gay people to carry concealed handguns. Where does that put me?

My views have certainly evolved over time, but I don't know that I could pin down a drift or direction to them. Thanks for including the Gah! option, a courtesy for those who can't quite slot themselves into a poll ...