‘Why do families like mine only get bare minimum?’
Jacob Popplewell, Manchester and Salford Socialist Party
Growing up, wealth and class inequality were difficult concepts for me to grasp. I saw how hard my parents worked, leaving the house at 6am to return at 6pm absolutely exhausted, just to be left with absolutely nothing at the end of the month.
Meanwhile, images of incredible luxury were plastered everywhere I looked. Why do many families like mine have to make do with the bare minimum, while others burn money for the fun of it, I asked.
My frustrations only grew when I was educated about UK politics. How our system is far from a true democracy. How corporations have the government at their beck and call, while we can control little more than the colour of the prime minister’s tie.
I got a job for myself, and reached legal voting age. I no longer felt like these were injustices against people like me, but that they were injustices against me as well.
This pushed me even further towards politics. I found it necessary to find a label for myself, to find likeminded individuals to, at the very least, discuss these frustrations. As Malcom X said: “A man who stands for nothing will fall for anything”. This is where I met socialism.
I found it difficult to attend a meeting at first. I was worried that I would be leagues behind anyone else involved in an organised group.
However, other Socialist Party members welcomed me. There was discussion that we could all contribute to.
It’s liberating to discuss pressing issues with like-minded individuals every week, as we sharpen each other’s ideas by discussing different viewpoints.
The Socialist Party campaign stalls are a great opportunity to take action against injustice by communicating an alternative. Selling the Socialist paper helps raise consciousness and funds for the party.
If you feel overwhelmed by the injustice and inequality in the world, the best remedy is to join the movement, no matter how small your contribution may feel. To join the Socialist Party is to do a service to nobody but yourself, it is a commitment to advocating for what is right.
