The Complex Landscape of Young People’s Political Engagement

Although some may say young people (aged 18- 24) are not engaged in politics, that could not be further from the truth. Young people often find themselves at odds with traditional political structures, outdated policies, ideas, and politicians, making them feel frustrated and powerless in today’s political landscape. Social media is changing the way young people interact with politics, allowing them to see how politics plays out on a daily basis and providing access to an absurd amount of information and a giant social network. These platforms, combined with the hopelessness of the current political landscape, have changed the dynamics of young people’s political engagement. 

A New Kind of Political Engagement

Young people today are more politically engaged than ever, but their involvement looks slightly different from past generations. While many young people still take to the streets and protest, as they did for Black Lives Matter (BLM) and for humanitarian relief in Gaza, social media has become a primary platform for political expression, organisation, and activism. It allows young people to share their opinions, connect with political movements, and mobilise for causes they see as valuable. 

For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, people participated in the BLM movement by signing and sharing petitions on social media. There was a social media movement called Blackout Tuesday, where supporters of BLM posted a black square on their social feed in an attempt to show support and raise awareness. While those black squares may not have been the most effective contribution to the movement, they are indicative of a population that is engaged in politics and attempts to show their support for others.

Young people’s focus often falls on identity politics—issues of race, gender, sexuality, and social justice—or, rather, they are more likely to participate in politics on a cause-oriented basis (Henn and Foard, 2011). This does not mean they do not care about the economy but are more likely to engage with politics as it directly aligns with their values and identity. In other words, the personal is political. 

Technology plays a significant role in this engagement. Compared to previous generations, young people can access an overwhelming amount of information from diverse sources using just the phone in their hand. They can easily find and share perspectives that resonate with their experiences and values, which empowers them to be more informed and vocal. Getting information from social media can be dangerous, as some influencers use their platforms to spread misinformation. If young people are not using critical thinking and seeking outside sources, it can be easy for them to fall into the trap of misleading and dishonest information. 

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok also tailor their app experience to the user. This means that everything you view on said apps, from content to the comments, is picked by an algorithm to ensure you are watching the content you are known to like, creating an echo chamber that reinforces opinions and ideals you already hold, potentially making them more extreme, especially if you lack exposure to contrasting views. 

Moreover, using social platforms as sources of information means younger people consume politics in bite-sized snippets rather than in-depth analyses, shaping their engagement differently than older voters who might rely more on traditional media or political debates. This fragmented consumption of political information can add to the divide between politicians and young people and negatively influence young people’s feelings about their political options.

The Voting Paradox

Despite their active participation online and in social movements, young people tend to vote less than older generations. This can be attributed to several factors. One reason may be that young people feel hopeless regarding political change and voting. Even if their preferred candidate wins, their daily struggles, such as the cost-of-living crisis, do not seem to improve. And because there is no change, young people have begun to lose faith in the political system.

Young people may also feel disconnected from traditional political institutions. Politicians often fail to speak directly to the concerns of younger voters, focusing instead on issues that resonate with older demographics. As a result of not seeing candidates represent their interests, young people may not feel motivated to participate in formal politics. We can see this in the voter statistics for the 2005 election, when voter turnout was at 39% but then increased to 44% in 2010 when politicians’ campaign issues included topics such as tuition fees, which prompted interest in the 18-24 age group (Henn and Foard, 2011).

A Sense of Hopelessness

A prevailing sense of hopelessness plays a significant role in young people’s political engagement. Many young people feel that the political system is slow to change and that the changes that do happen are not substantial enough to address pressing issues they are facing, such as climate change, economic instability, and social inequality. There is a pervasive belief that traditional political structures and old policies are out of touch with the realities of the challenges that younger generations face.

Young people have strong opinions and visions for the future but often feel their voices are drowned out by older voters, who prioritise different issues and are more likely to vote. Economic realities play a part in this; older generations are more likely to vote to maintain benefits they already enjoy, such as real estate ownership and lower taxes, while younger people struggle to access these same opportunities. This can be especially frustrating when age is the single largest determinant of wealth. The median total wealth of people in their early 60s is approximately nine times that of those in their early 30s. Wealth is unequally distributed between generations: the richest 10% of households hold almost 50% of total wealth (Office for National Statistics, 2022). This economic divide and the strong older voting block further alienate young people from the political process.

Engaged on Their Own Terms

Young people are not apathetic toward politics but are misunderstood in the way they choose to engage. Young people’s political engagement is evolving in response to the unique challenges and opportunities of the modern world. While traditional political structures may seem unresponsive or outdated to many young people, social media has emerged as a powerful tool for political expression and activism and has enabled young people to engage with politics on their own terms, focusing on issues that align with them. 

 

References:

 

Emerson, L. (2023). Young Let down by Starmer and Sunak? – Intergenerational Foundation. [online] Intergenerational Foundation. Available at: https://www.if.org.uk/2023/01/05/young-let-down-by-starmer-and-sunak/ [Accessed 12 Aug. 2024].

Helfrich, A. and Machida, S. (2022). Number 1 Article 2 Connection to Differing Ethnic and Racial Backgrounds. Journal of Political Science Journal of Political Science, [online] 50(1). Available at: https://digitalcommons.coastal.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1460&context=jops.

Henn, M. and Foard, N. (2011). Young People, Political Participation and Trust in Britain. Parliamentary Affairs, 65(1), pp.47–67. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/pa/gsr046.

Office for National Statistics (2022). Distribution of Individual Total Wealth by Characteristic in Great Britain – Office for National Statistics. [online] www.ons.gov.uk. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/personalandhouseholdfinances/incomeandwealth/bulletins/distributionofindividualtotalwealthbycharacteristicingreatbritain/april2018tomarch2020.

The British Election Study Team (2021). Age and Voting Behaviour at the 2019 General Election – the British Election Study. [online] www.britishelectionstudy.com. Available at: https://www.britishelectionstudy.com/bes-findings/age-and-voting-behaviour-at-the-2019-general-election/.

Trowbridge, M. (2020). Black Out Tuesday. Getty Images.