Old political parties and their idealogy, whether socialist, communist, conservative, royalty, religious or all shades between are beginning to be viewed by the younger generations as just that, old political ideas of how to manage things run by old people. Ideas which have had their day and have been exposed for their un-workability. Membership in the political parties youth groups have been on a steady decline over the last ten years, and will continue so. It seems that the zealot youth members of today are more concerned with insuring themselves a place at the public trough in their adult years rather than motivated to serve the public's good.

Unfortunately, some old political party rulers, especially in the socialist, communist, and Islamic or royalty-ruled countries are not going to let the reins of power slip easily from their hands. Oppression and ruthless suppression of dissention of the dissatisfied public is the last order of the day by a ruling class bankrupt of new and workable ideas. I expect in various places around the world, revolutionary uprisings by the people and the military when the demands for change fall on deaf, arrogant ears.

The world is moving fast. Communications between areas and the sharing of ideas are moving at the speed of electrons. Technology is moving faster than modern man can keep up with and the government is one of the last to embrace it's true potential. People are able to travel, to witness with their own eyes on television, read and hear on news radio of the benefits that others are enjoying under different political systems. They can see what works, what problems are encountered and generally pick and chose the government programs that could be best benefituary to their society regardless of which idealogy it derives from. Only, the old guys won't have any of it. It's not in the manual. Or it's derived from their long-standing enemy, the capitalists, or communists or religious fanatics...and so on, so it can't be good.

Politics and societies future prosperity will depend on the young bringing about change, ever so slowly from within the established systems or if allowed, through the creation of new parties. If not, by way of the last desperate action...revolution.

I sense a restlessness with the old political ways in every country I've spent time in over the past ten years. I've been to Europe and Asia and travelled across Canada and through the United States. The weak and frail elderly don't care since the systems did alright with them. The middle aged don't seem to have the energy or motivation after putting everything they have into supporting their families and trying to feather their retirement. The young are extremely impatient.

Politics, like technology, has a way of suddenly coming into change. Russia had almost been taken over in a military coup a few years ago. Our relations with Russia would be very different today if that coup had been successful. A peasant uprising in Mexico could easily wipe out the twenty families that own the country. Our world is heavily inter-connected and inter-dependent. A seemly insignificant leadership change in a far-flung country can effect our import/ export ratios. Effect our unemployment and Gross National Product figures. Effect whether our government can afford to finance their latest boon-doggle or have to seek international financing.

As I stated in the Youth Section, todays young people are smart, ambitious and highly competitive. They won't swallow old practices if it doesn't work very well or there may be a better way. Presently, they are finding their groundings throughout the twenty-something years. When they're in their thirties, they will be a force demanding political change from the old ways. Tradition is fine as long as it gets results.

I won't make any specific predictions on political happenings in this first page except to say, the need for change is there and growing, especially with the young, and that things will happen very fast in those countries where it happens. The United States is set for an amazing political change come next year's elections. Russia as well in 2000.

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