by Eileen Bailey

Created on: September 19, 2009   Last Updated: September 21, 2009

Personal values are the foundation of politics. The creation of laws is based on how we feel about an issue; if we see an issue as unethical, we will move to change it politically. Although many political decisions are based on public opinion, the public opinion is composed of an accumulation of personal values.

Abortion groups, a powerful political entity, show this principle. There are both pro-choice and pro-life abortion groups. Each group is founded on the idea that abortion should or should not be illegal. The ideal of each group is based on the public opinion of its members. If the people invested in the group did not have an opinion on the issue, they would not have become involved; therefore, the entirety of these politically-powerful linkage institutions are based on the personal values of its constituents.

Politicians are also swayed by personal values. If a politician believes in a bill, they will vote for it. This is based on their own view of the document, and their perception of its usefulness is based on their own connection to the issue being addressed. Politicians will listen to public opinion; however, as previously stated, public opinion is a collection of a people's personal values, so the politics of the situation are still being affected by our own ideals. Many politicians also will not support a specific outcome, regardless of popular support, if the situation completely contradicts their own thoughts on the matter.

The effect of personal values on politics can be both positive and negative. Our personal values teach us what to feel about an issue, which helps us decide which issues we should care about and which will be best for our interest.

Personal values can also get in the way of a solution. If many people have contradicting views, and all people have the same voice, a resolution may never be found. This is evident in the current stall of the Healthcare movement in Congress; because members have so many different opinions, many will not support the issue until their own personal interests are included. The stalling can be both good and bad. On one hand, we can't meet an agreement; on the other hand, the differing views being expressed give rise to more consideration of the issue, allowing us to seriously contemplate the matter before making hasty decisions.

In some cases, personal values can lead to corruption of our republic. In a republic, representatives are voted in to represent their people politically. When these representatives lose sight of the people's interest and become too invested in their own personal values, they can become corrupt. Instead of worrying about doing what is best for the people, they choose to do what is best for themselves; this could include taking a higher pay whilst their people are struggling to get fed.

But regardless of whether a person believes the involvement of personal values is a good or bad part of politics, it cannot be refuted that politics cannot exist without our insight. If we as a people did not have an interest in an issue, it would never be brought up. Since public opinion is founded on the views of its members, we as a whole cannot act politically unless we express ourselves individually. Personal values, therefore, are the foundation of politics in our country.

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