An Interview with Peter and Charles, Leaders of Politics Society

What does a typical Politics Society meeting look like?

Peter: A typical politics society begins with choice. The choice of what people want to discuss: much of what we talk about comes from the society members. However, in the same way that “there are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen.” Hence, we find ourselves in both slow and fast news weeks. There are weeks where we simply don’t have time to discuss everything that is happening in the political world. Accommodating for people of varying political understanding is a key part of a politics society and finding compromise between potentially boring those who have a strong knowledge and that people aren’t alienated from conversation because they perceive themselves to not know enough. In many ways the society is a forum of education as much as it is one of discussion.

Charles: Typically the society consists of people arguing and shouting back and forth while trying to solve the “real” issues in the world, and a few loud personalities challenging Mr Butler’s political stance while others are just taking in the atmosphere.

Peter, how do you manage maintaining a respectful political debate?

Keeping respectful political debate is a fine balance, but it comes from a place of trust and mutual agreement. I must be able to trust the people in the room that they are asking questions in good faith. This is in an effort to engage and enhance the understanding for everyone within the room. In the same way they must trust me that I will engage conversation in a neutral matter, addressing my own political biases and giving a free voice to those of all political camps. Of course there will be rabble and moments of disorganisation, after all it wouldn’t be politics if there wasn’t!
I’m not a chair: I don’t set a motion or allocate a time for speaking. Part of facilitating discussion is being able to run the line of formality and authenticity. Therefore, peaceful and respectful debate is not something written up on a whiteboard or some doctrine but achieved through mutual understanding and the exchange of ideas.

Charles, what do you think your biggest challenge as Politics Society leader will be?

Trying to keep peace in the room and trying to have a proper, productive debate.

What role do you think young people play in today’s political climate?

Peter: Young people are everything. Politics is very much perceived as an old man’s game, but we live in an age where politics is no longer confined within the pages of history books and political thesis; today, we all have access to it. Often, it’s inescapable. It’s the first thing on our phones TVs and radios. However, there are the dangers. Our increasingly polarising newsfeeds are often a confirmation of our predisposed beliefs and void of discussion and human connection. So, now more than ever it’s important that we talk with people about the issues of today, having open and free discussion irrespective of disagreement. We can find ourselves easily caught up in the folk devils of politics whether it be raving emotional liberals who don’t understand the real world or right wing racists who are uneducated and only care for their own self-interest. Yet these are only folk devils in reality; there’s only people. People with different values, goals and life experiences and the only way to properly address these perceived conflicts is to understand the other side. Despite my biases, I truly believe the best place to engage in understanding is at Politics Society.

Charles: Young people play a small part in today’s political climate, with not enough people turning out to vote. Their voices drowned out by the older generation and a lack of direction in what they feel they need.

What is your take on our government’s reaction to Donald Trump’s presidency?

Peter: I must preface, I’m far from his greatest supporter, in my eyes he has done damaging things both within and outside of the oval office, such as his incitement of the Jan 6th riots, his obstruction of justice and recent withholding of aid from Ukraine. But he is President Elect, there will be no revolution, as observers we should be working to best understand who is he, such that we can analyse why he does what he does. Trump in the eyes of many, is the prototypical strongman. Most importantly of these strongman tactics is his use of language. Amongst his favourite words are: winning, family, strong and tariff. But to truly understand Trump, the word that comes up often repeatedly in justification of his executive orders and outlandish policy decisions is mandate. He proclaims his “mandate of the people” creates the impression of Trump not as a servant for the people but as the commander of the people. We can use this to understand the undermining of the Trans-Atlantic alliance. Western democracy does not align the current declarations and actions of the Trump administration. When on Jan 22, 2025 many of us asked ourselves how will Trump’s second term be different to his first. We will look back on the Trifecta of the house, senate and presidency. With increasingly less electoral opposition, it appears that Trump’s vision of Commander-in-chief may be coming closer to reality than we believe.