YOUNGPEOPLE ANDPOLITICS

According to a survey carried out during the last month (March 12, 2008), 74 percent of young people between the ages of 19 and 28 state that they are "little" or "not at all" interested in political life, it also reveals that almost all (94 percent) do not participate or adhere to any political party But, curiously, 59 percent of those questioned believe that the country would be better off if they, the young, participated in politics. They proved to be poorly informed about political events and their figures Finally, 70 percent declared themselves optimistic regarding the future of the country.

This survey raises the following questions:

What is the concept of "politics" with which young people move to manifest such a pronounced lack of interest in it? Are they really oblivious to the laws and the facts that cause the government conduction in the economic, in the social, in relation to the administration of justice? Are they not informed, do they not take a position on issues that affect their geographical and social environment?

The question can be raised as to whether this is a current way of thinking and acting or whether it has been ingrained for a long time In this sense, it is interesting to compare the material from today's survey with two extensive investigations on Argentine youth promoted by Deutsche Bank and published by Editorial Planeta. In the first, which dates from 1993, 67 percent declared themselves disinterested in political life In the second study, carried out in 1999, even worse results were obtained: 80 percent declared they had no interest in politics, with no differences between the men and women questioned