Story of geopolitics for kids – 6: Journey from school to politics

The previous 5 parts of the article can be accessed here Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5. This is the sixth part

Schools shape a better future

During one of my storytelling sessions with my granddaughters, Sahana and Anagha, Anagha asked me, “Thantheenee, you keep telling us that we should change the world when we grow up. Why can’t the grown-ups of today do it?”

“Good question, Anagha. Schools are where we learn to make the future better. Let me explain this with a story about an imaginary school.”

The story of future leaders academy school

Once upon a time, in a small town, there was a school called Future Leaders Academy. There were all kinds of students – some were great at studies, while others were not. Some liked solving math problems, building science projects, or learning about economics. Others spent their time leading class protests, skipping homework, or pulling pranks.

As these students grew older, they took different paths. The ones who studied seriously became doctors, engineers, scientists, teachers, and business leaders. Their futures seemed certain – they would find good jobs and live comfortable lives.

Some students who did okay in school but wanted to help society tried to get government jobs through competitive exams. This was harder because there were fewer positions, but those who succeeded helped shape society in important ways.

Then there were the students who struggled in school. Some of them went into politics. This was the hardest path of all. But a few of them became the most powerful people in society. Since they had less to lose, they took big risks. Politics involves a lot of power and money, so the competition was tough, and it often came with risks to their careers and lives.

Most of the other students ended up with jobs like drivers, delivery workers, and watchmen.

Meanwhile, the professionals and government workers found their places in life and were usually satisfied. They were careful and took fewer risks. Most of them didn’t feel the need to join politics, except for a few who did later in life. Even then, they often followed the bad example set by the professional politicians. A few bravely tried to change politics for the better, with limited success.

Professional politicians

The politicians held the most power, but many didn’t use it well. Most of them didn’t know much about the relevance of technology, economics, or global affairs to politics, which were areas where professionals, like doctors and engineers, were better equipped.

These politicians got into politics at a young age and stayed there for life. By the time they became powerful leaders, all they knew was politics.

This caused problems. Politics had stopped being about helping people and had become more of a game of power. It had also become a family business, with children taking over from their parents. Unlike doctors or engineers, who had to make their children study hard to succeed even in their parents’ professions, political families learned how to win elections and pass on their power with relative ease because it involved the use of raw power.

These families became very rich, not by helping people, but by making decisions that helped themselves and their friends. They gave contracts and special favors to their friends, even if those people couldn’t do the jobs well.

Corruption became common, and politics turned into a way to make money, often controlled by people who didn’t take school seriously.

Short-term thinking and its consequences

One of the biggest problems was that politicians didn’t think about the future. Instead of planning to make life better by improving education and creating jobs, they focused on winning the next election. To keep people happy for a short time and to make money for the government and themselves, they made decisions like promoting the sale of alcohol or ignoring drug use among young people.

This trapped many poor men in addiction, making them depend on government help instead of finding jobs to improve their lives. Women and children from their families suffered the most.

A better solution

Some smart people believed that the solution was to have professionals and government workers – those who had studied well and worked in other fields – join politics. They would bring fresh ideas and help understand new technologies, like artificial intelligence (AI) that could make life better for everyone.

Professionals understood things like the economy, technology, and global politics. If more people with real knowledge and experience, who had generated income from outside politics, ran the government, we could possibly have better decision-making, less corruption, and longer-lasting solutions to problems like poverty and unemployment.

Professional politicians often said they understood the poor better because they grew up closer to them. But in reality, most of them just gave out short-term help to get votes, without making real changes to the lives of people. They saw politics as a business, not a way to serve people, and once they had power, they didn’t want to give it up.

Trade unions and politics

Even trade unions, which were meant to help workers, started to follow the same path as politics. Many trade union leaders were politicians and not workers. They used their union jobs to advance their own political careers.

The future of politics

Some people believed it was time for political parties to be led by educated professionals who understood the economy, technology, and the world. These new leaders would see politics as a way to give back to society, not just to gain power and wealth for themselves.

Who can be such good future leaders? You, Sahana and Anagha, and your generation. You have the potential to make the world a better place and save politics from the control of professional politicians.

True leadership isn’t just about power. It’s about understanding the world, being responsible, and caring about everyone’s future, not the unfair interests of just a few people. As technology continues to change the world, it’s more important than ever for leaders to be educated, honest, and ready to solve the big problems of the modern age.

Conclusion

“Well,” I concluded, “this story is almost as valid for the rest of the world as for India. The world needs better leaders – leaders who understand not just politics but technology, economics, jobs, and how to create a better future for everyone. If more honest and educated people joined politics, we’d have a better chance at solving the bigger emerging problems, like ending hunger, making the world a better place to live in, and stopping wars. But it will take smart, brave people to lead.”

Sahana smiled. “So, we need people who understand technology and people who know how to lead, preferably both rolled into one.”

“Exactly!” I agreed. “I’m not saying only educated people should be in politics. I’m just saying politics shouldn’t be controlled by professional politicians. Schools will play an even bigger role in the future. They should not just teach math and science, but also how to be good leaders – how to work together and make decisions that help everyone.”

Sahana, always thoughtful, added, “So if we study hard and understand the world, we can help lead it to a better future?”

“That’s right,” I said. “It’s not just about getting good grades. It’s about understanding the world, technology, and people, and then using that knowledge to make things better for everyone.”

The girls nodded, thinking about how they could make a difference, using their intelligence, honesty, and courage to lead.

Postscript for parents:

It may seem like only professional politicians hold power. But accomplished professionals like scientists, engineers, doctors, accountants, economists, and business leaders can also join politics later in life and help shape society. In the future, leaders who understand both technology and governance will have the best chance of creating a world where peace and prosperity can grow.

We should encourage our children to see politics as a way to serve society, at least after their first careers, and work together for a better future.

Note:
1. Text in Blue points to additional data on the topic.
2. The views expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of PGurus.

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