Does Warwick need the Russell Brand ‘revolution’?

Most of you will (if not through Facebook newsfeed spamming) have come across Russell Brand’s “revolution”: the idea that we need to stop voting because parliamentary democracy does not work. The Student Union at this very university also uses a parliamentary democracy format, and those of us who have seen elections will know they are a popularity contest.

The way it works is that I make a manifesto which promises some real things, and some ideal things, but mostly only what those who participate in politics will care about. I had the privilege of meeting two people who were going to vote at the All Students Meeting, and one of the things that shocked me the most was how little awareness there was by the students about what they were actually voting on.

The issue of ethnic minorities and the Pop dress code came up, and it quickly became apparent that some of the people voting hadn’t even considered the perspective of ethnic minority students. Many saw it as more an issue of, “I don’t mean to be offensive, so why should I be denied my right to wear what I want?” and entirely ignoring the fact that Mexican people might have the right to be offended, if the only time you engage with their culture is out of satire.

those of us who have seen elections will know they are a popularity contest.

I recently went to see the education officer with regards to setting up a history journal. I asked to know about the politics within the History Department, and was told how she didn’t know that much, since the contact kept with the SSLC from the History Department was pretty much non-existent. Now, if this is true, then would it not have been better to make a proactive effort to contact the history department and tell them of this issue, or better yet why did not contact the history society? After all, academic societies should be about academia.

The Boar, the Warwick newspaper, which is student ran, but situated very close to the SU, should be covering these sorts of topics. What we need at this University is not only more student participation in student politics (but who can blame you for the apathy?) but also more proactive steps.

If we are to have a student newspaper, its job beyond posting reviews of songs and films, should be to make sure that those who hold positions of power within the university, are held to account for doing so. Warwick has a great sense of community, but for all the wrong reasons. Too many students have become mass consumers, here to get a degree and get as many internships/work experience as they can. We have become so worried by the prospect of unemployment after university, that we have forgotten that we should be at university to change the world. All generations of students should leave universities better than when they arrived.

As the £9000 generation, it is time we held universities to account for where our money is spent, and what those who claim to represent us do on our behalf.

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