Politics and Economics Personal Statement Example 3

Politics and Economics are two topical subjects which ignite many academic discussions; both coincide to help understand current issues of political turmoil, economic instability and international disputes. The media portrayal of these current affairs, and the subjectivity in the coverage of these issues, enhanced my ability to critically analyse sources of information and also question the credibility of them. Thus, I’d like to further my knowledge in these fields and pursue a Politics and Economics degree at university.

Studying British Politics, I noted a pattern between the party in government and the state of the economy prior to the elections. Since the 1950s, any economic hardship which may impact an individual directly led to the opposition being elected, to show dissatisfaction with the current party, as had occurred in 2010. Labourite Gordon Brown was voted out following the Global Financial crisis, leading to the Conservative-Liberal coalition. I believe this situation only occurred as a result of the electorates’ lack of belief in either party to get the economy back on track; a lack of belief fuelled by the fear of a nation experiencing an economic crisis. This emphasised the fact that politics cannot be isolated from economics and are both essential in shaping each other. During the Women in Economics day at Cambridge, the shape of Britain post 2008 and the issue of Brexit had raised challenging questions in relation to the vulnerable state of the economy and what measures could be put in place to stimulate aggregate demand, since the current policies, such as lowering the bank rate to a staggering low have proven to be inefficient. I was able to reflect on my view on Britain’s economic future, after leaving the EU, by creating a video project at the Sutton Trust Politics programme.

Global politics has been prevalent in recent news and alongside it, the economy. My article ‘Mao Money, Mao Problems?’ in The Sixth Voice, my college’s newspaper, focused on China’s first Five Year Plan conducted by Chairman Mao, as well as the 12th Five Year Plan executed by President, Xi Jinping, also nicknamed ‘mini Mao’ in an edition of ‘The Economist’. I drew comparisons between the economic decisions made throughout the decades, their effectiveness and how much China had grown as a superpower since becoming a Republic in 1949. From a political aspect, I looked into China’s ideological changes; the shift from hardcore Communism to more Conservative ideas, resulting in a greater free-market economy. These changes may have been the catalyst for the rapid growth that occurred in the post-Mao era; the question whether politics enabled economic change or vice versa is one that is still of interest to me. Researching this particular case has been essential to my understanding of the different approaches taken by governments during times of economic uncertainty and why some strategies may be more effective than others. This research has also been a tool for me to solidify the decision to pursue the aforementioned degree at university; I was able to witness the compatibility of these two subjects, highlighting the importance and relevance that these disciplines offer to contemporary living.

Education is a privilege, in having the chance to fundraise for the Wings of Hope Foundation to help children in developing countries also have the same equal opportunity to schooling, I was able to play my small part in society while developing teamwork, leadership and time management skills. This was furthered by attaining the VInspired 100 hours of volunteering qualification, allowing me to complete the Duke of Edinburgh award, an experience which tested my perseverance when completing the journey. That being said an Economics and Politics degree would help me gain skills fit for any career path however I would like to contribute my strengths at university while gaining knowledge and complete a new journey with a proactive mindset.