The system is rigged against us

Ayomide Akinsinmide, Leicester Socialist Party

Young people are plagued by crippling political and economic instability, unforgiving climate change, rising house costs and tuition fees, along with many other problems gradually choking us. It’s easy to feel helpless, faithless and forgotten.

The system is rigged against us – designed to keep the rich richer, and the rest of us struggling. Why is it that, in such a wealthy country, so many people are struggling just to make ends meet?

As a university student, I’ve seen bright and gifted friends consider dropping out, because they couldn’t afford the living costs. We work tiring part-time jobs on top of studying full-time just to survive.

I know people who have graduated with mountains of debt, only to find themselves in a job market that offers little more than low wages and zero security.

During the local Palestine marches, it all clicked. I had to stop and see what was going on. I cycled past three times. I joined the protest, and days later I was at a Socialist Party meeting.

I finally realised that these weren’t isolated issues. They are all symptoms of a broken system.

Gaza and austerity

The war in Gaza. More food banks than McDonald’s restaurants. Food prices rising 25%, but maintenance loans increasing a mere 1.5% in the last five years. NHS waiting lists going from two million to nearly eight million under Tory rule.

The reason I joined is because the answers I’ve wanted are explained by the principles of socialism. The idea that everyone deserves a fair and equal chance, that wealth and power shouldn’t be concentrated in the hands of a stingy and troublesome few. The fact that we should all have access to the basic necessities of life –something that will never be possible under a capitalist society.

All of these ideas resonated deeply with me. They always have. I just never knew the name.

Joining the Socialist Party felt normal. It felt natural. If anything, it would be easier to talk about why I stay in the Socialist Party.

Having a community of like-minded people, who believe in fighting for social and economic justice for all ages, races and backgrounds, is the reason I stay in the Socialist Party. Socialism being about action and not just theory is why I stay.

Working class rising up

Having the chance to go out every week into the local community on the front lines, pushing for policies that we’ve seen make a difference is why I stay. That the Socialist Party is built by the working class rising up is why I stay.

In these challenging times, where there is no true political alternative, being part of the Socialist Party gives me hope. It reminds me that we don’t have to accept the status quo, that we can fight for a better future. And every day, I am inspired by other Socialist Party members who are working tirelessly to bring about that change.

So, why did I join the Socialist Party? Because I believe in a fairer, more just world. Because I want to be part of the solution, not just an observer. And because I know that together, we can make a difference, that is why I stay.