Citizen Participation Alternative 
When part of the citizenry is mobilized and thrown into the street in a protest by some environmental issues, labor, etc., direct contact with the other sector of society that observes the future liability of the problems, and even agreeing with that claim remains paralyzed meekly accepting the final outcome of the problem.
This is very typical Canarian society find pessimistic views that urge to abandon the struggle and the political participation of citizens, citing bland "not going to get anything." Fortunately, recent history has shown that the Canary Islands this is not always so, and slowly seeps into society a greater political awareness to get achievements. Lately
political organizations have articulated a number of mechanisms have been accessible to the people for greater citizen involvement in decision-making through Local Agenda 21, or the officers Tagoror Community. Are sufficient or not, are those that exist and should be exploited. Therefore, from Alternative Tenerife Yes We Can encourage people to be participatory in local policy decisions and to break with the psychological barriers that they hesitate to make the time to step forward and participate.
is why we do some thinking out loud and throw some questions to our fellow party members to help us know more of the political situation of the Canary Islands and their participation.
- Coello Mayca Answers, a sociologist and a candidate for mayor of Candelaria by Alternative Yes we can.
Do you think that today there remains the fear of being critical of the local political? formal democracy was introduced in the English State recently, 30 years in the history of a society is a really short period after a longer period of dictatorship. We have not had time or opportunity to grow democratically, to ground behavior in accordance with this system. People who take public positions on many occasions, are no longer citizens to assume a social status superior. From this position undertake jobs, facilitate administrative procedures, tolerate conduct in the territory, manage social aid ... applied differential criteria depending on the ideological relationship, family, or economic with the addresses of these commitments. This arbitrary and patronage of the "power", accompanied by profound ignorance of our rights as citizens, encourages people to avoid a critical ruling against certain policies or actions, fearing the loss of the "favors" from politicians.
What local policies harmful there is a link with the world business? The business is part of society, are citizens who perform an economic activity that create jobs of varying quality, and that could foster innovation and economic diversification. What often happens is that a part of this sector is linked to political parties through direct funding to them, the form of cash or in kind to public performances, through the establishment of professional links ... explicitly or implicitly demanding the return of favors. This is where the problems begin because there is loss of the sense of politics and management of public affairs for the entire citizenry, and it appears the desire for increased profits for the "sponsors."
- Fernando Answers Sabaté, geographer, member of the committee and candidate for the South of Tenerife Cabildo Alternative Yes we can.
Do you think the city feels more helpless canary than any other region of Spain? I think, broadly true. The reason must be sought in the history of the islands' society: a community under excruciating conditions of despotism, a very marked delay in access to literacy and schooling, individuals colonial features (or semi) arising from the conquest in the fifteenth century. All this led to the resignation a "signified" (for fear of being punished), uncertainty in the use of language "official" (identified by the population as the language of power, he was oblivious), and difficulty too large to navigate the field of institutional. There may be instances of other communities with features of the English state, in part, similar (Galicia, Andalusia), but specific circumstances exist in the Canary Islands. On the other hand, I think we are in a historical phase in which - very slowly - it tends to gradually overcome these situations.
is said the voter on the left is more critical and demanding with his own party that the voter's rights, why is this the case? also share the opinion. The left-wing people are (we are), by definition, critical of the existing. We want to overcome or transcend the current situation to improve. Otherwise, we would not be leftists. This, in principle, can not be more than positive. However, one thing to be critical and self-critical with ourselves, and another, different, is to develop a hipercriticismo blocking by contradiction any initiative to advance and transform reality. Human beings are not perfect, the reality is crossed by many contradictions, and we are all part of that reality. Acting on it is inevitable mistakes, but there is not correct (for it serves the self) and return to acting. And wrong again and again to correct, and return to acting. A virtue of all the truly revolutionary - a person can be very left-wing and yet very little revolutionary, disability to succeed in how to transform reality - is patience. As has been said many times, the first revolutionary virtue is patience, the second is patience, and the third, patience. But patience does not mean inaction, but action to accommodate the rates are acceptable to the people in each historical moment: sometimes it goes very fast, and many others very slowly.
- Answers Déniz Francisco, sociologist, member of the committee of La Laguna and member of the Coordinating Alternative Insular Yes we can.
Why is it that society is less politically active rural than urban? This question deserves a reflection of at least a master's degree. However, if we were to say some things, even as a scheme, we would say that in general, rural societies have been subjected to a form of social control much more comprehensive and deeper than urban societies. Chieftaincy, the landowners, not sólo han controlado a la masa salarial, sino a las familias y clanes enteros. Ha ejercido muchísima represión, se han negado a que los aires liberales o socialistas invadan los campos, y no han dudado en llamar a la rebelión contra la democracia cuantas veces han querido. Además, la iglesia mantiene un control casi total de la vida cotidiana de los campos. Ello es así hasta nuestros días, aunque un poco menos. Pero aún se pueden observar los restos de este modelo de producción en muchas zonas del Archipiélago.
Por otro lado, mientras que en zonas donde han existido grandes contingentes de jornaleros y un salario y unas condiciones más o menos iguales se ha constituido una clase obrera campesina, la existencia small subsistence property, such as the Canary Islands, braking causes individualism any collective effort. Individualistic mentality has this base material of the small family owned and effort or, if you like, individual. This disables the political activism they do not understand that a collective effort out anything relevant to personal failings, is only worth the effort of yours. This mentality is deeply rooted in our people and in all rural communities have not developed or have not maintained links collectivist. It should also be taken into account that the power has ensured that the minimum glimpses of the agricultural community fail. For example, large multinational food groups have been systematically specialized local production plunge.
of the Church has spoken too much, so I will not delve into this issue, but no doubt that certain traditions affect the paralysis and fear to evolve and gain personal independence with respect to the primary bonds. That the city is much more flexible and there are multiple ways to escape this control. There are new expectations, new possibilities, and so on. leading to greater capacity and disposition to new ideas.
There is another issue that could attribute, I mean the greatest crisis. Actually, it is in cities where it is most evident the social decomposition and ecological identity (in the broadest sense and political), so it is logical that that is where opposition groups are constantly emerging.
This I said, and as a general framework could be applied to almost any situation as described, there is no doubt that we need to extend it, and the only way is to use the low pulse of young people in these areas and push other community in a democratic struggle that challenges the levers of power in our towns. And since this is not enough, there is no doubt that we need to know the reality before us, sometimes to work in fear and in smaller interests. The left has always ignored these issues but are as a people just paralyzed, and make proposals on the left falling into autoregocijo, in misunderstanding and, especially in the mockery. Therefore, it is necessary to know the ultimate reality that exists, which affects our way of life to make proposals for emancipation with hints of progress and not delay.
There is a low youth participation in active politics canaria, what message to send to young people who come to politics that affect us in our daily life?
Yes, that's obvious. The youth is very wrong, say the old. And because I am old, I have no choice but to continue saying it. But unlike the other old, I say this because, indeed, the youth has ignored the political issue. Eye, the entire society as well. That is, when the company is pending political issue in an innovative dynamic and reformist or revolutionary or even merely democratic, youth are also involved. That is evident in societies in transition. When the public fight, the youth is placed in front. But in situations like we live in postmodern clear aimlessly more or less known, the entire society is constrained on itself. There are many mechanisms that have led us to see society from the TV, and even, to believe we can change it from the damn machine. We have held, and it is very difficult to leave this prison. But in the case of today's youth, and unlike other generations of the 70 or even 80, the uncertainty of this time paralyzes energy. Capitalism spin we suffer, apparently produces so many stimuli that trigger what is the perception that changing things is practically impossible. And youth become pragmatic about what is and what is wild is precarious and competitiveness. So things are. Instead, the statistics speak of youth consulted canaria with great identification with their land, with the Canary Islands, even over Basque or Catalan youth, but unlike them, with little relation to this feeling with political speeches. That is, there is a great feeling of belonging to their village, but is poorly associated with political speeches that occur around them. It is a very apolitical youth. Also, another interesting fact is the high rate of atheism.
The proposals made in the future for youth, convince them that things can change, that will change and that their contribution is important, not as young but as adults are the basics. In my opinion you have to do to see the youth that even in the political and social struggle is life and also live a very rewarding and a great deal of intelligence and preparation. The political struggle makes people more intelligent and in our country Islands, with high levels of illiteracy, it is a school improvement.
