By Andrew Passey, Senior Research Fellow, ACCORD

Drawing on the 2003 Australian Survey of Social Attitudes (AuSSA) allows us to compare the reported behaviour and attitudes of different generations of Australians. Those born up to and including 1945, we call the ‘pre-war generation’; those born between 1969 and 1985 we describe as ‘Generation X’; and those born in-between make up the ‘Baby Boomer’ generation.

The findings suggest the G-G is correct to the extent that members of Generation X exhibit less confidence in the Federal parliament than other age groups (only 30% expressed having a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the highest political chamber in the nation, compared with around 40% in other groups). The youngest age band was also the least likely to agree that Federal government is run mostly or entirely for the benefit of all Australians (30%, compared with 39% of Baby Boomers and 43% in the pre-war generation), and they were markedly less likely to feel that politics was important to them than older Australians.

Support for the G-G’s assertions also comes in patterns of behaviour – only 18% of Generation X said they had contacted a politician or official in the past two years – a figure half the rate of older generations.

However, you get a different picture if you look away from attitudes and behaviour geared towards formal politics and politicians, and focus instead, on other kinds of ‘political’ activity. Members of Generation X are the most likely to have taken part in a protest or demonstration or strike action in the past two years, and are equally as likely as Baby Boomers to express their views through boycotts or purchasing particular products.

Furthermore, while members of Generation X are more hostile to politicians, they are the most likely to express confidence in the people who work for the state. Thirty-five percent expressed a great deal or quite a lot of confidence in the public service, compared with 30% in other generations.

It is therefore, often, outside the bounds of formal politics, where younger Australians engage in the democratic process. A mass of factors would explain why, however one important ingredient is the myriad of organisations that collectively make-up Australia’s civil society. Membership of one or more of these associations, clubs, charities, and co-operatives increases the odds of a member of Generation X being involved in political activities, especially engaging with politicians or officials. Organisations in civil society are networks that link people together, and they also promote values of solidarity and help to socialise people into collective endeavours. In these ways they function as ‘elementary schools of democracy.’

The G-G concluded that we need to find ways to spark the interest and involvement of young people in the democratic process in Australia. The consequence of not doing so will be that more young Australians will ‘simply turn away,’ he said. There is plenty of truth in that statement, however the evidence points to the active role played already by younger Australians in the democratic life of the nation, fostered in part by civil society. Maybe politicians need to ensure that they are nurturing the seedbeds of democracy as much as their well publicised attempts to directly reach out to all Australians?