The Political Position of Bernie Sanders and Jeremy Corbyn

The presidential race can bring out true colors in citizens all over the United States, as well as in the presidential candidates themselves. Due to the current presidential race being constantly broadcasted, we as U.S. citizens may forget about political figures in other places, such as the UK. Throughout this essay, I will discuss current presidential candidate Bernie Sanders by using five key terms that I believe describe him, along with ways in which he is comparable to British parliamentarian Jeremy Corbyn.

Due to both of these candidates leaning hard towards the left of the political spectrum, along with many other factors that will be discussed, I believe that these two men are similar in many ways.

First and foremost, Bernie Sanders is a current candidate for the Democratic nomination for President of the United States in the upcoming election. His background includes being a relevant American politician and the junior senator from Vermont. Sanders is also known to speak out against the current foreign policy as well as the Iraq War.

His progressiveness has attracted many young voters to his campaign.

Jeremy Corbyn is a formerly vague British parliamentarian who is now set to become leader of the official Labour opposition to David Cameron’s government. His leftwing ideals and opposition of mainstream government policies make him comparable to Bernie Sanders in many ways. I personally know many peers that are voting for Sanders due to his radical ideas when it comes to things such as welfare and global warming.

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I believe that if my peers resided in the UK, they would be voting for Corbyn.

One word that I choose to describe Bernie Sanders with is liberal. I would also use this word to describe Jeremy Corbyn, due to the fact that they are both strongly against mainstream politics. “As with Labour and Corbyn, Sanders is shaking up the Democratic party machine by pulling in vast crowds and tapping youthful enthusiasm in ways that elude opponents in his party, principally the powerful frontrunner, Hillary Clinton” (White).

A policy that both Sanders and Corbyn are fighting involves banking. Sanders has been resiliently arguing for the separation of banks to make way for numerous smaller, competing banks that will in turn be able to provide better services to citizens. “Meanwhile Corbyn wants to establish a national investment bank and, if rumors are to be believed, do the same thing as Sanders regarding existing banks here in the UK” (Kalantary).

Another word I would use to describe both Sanders and Corbyn is socialist. Many people believe their extremely liberal ideas will cost them the election, but “despite being unfashionable democratic socialists, both men tapped a deep well of resentment against the mainstream political elite by people who feel patronized, neglected and left behind” (White). Many lower and middle class people will be voting for Sanders due to the fact that they feel trapped in the unfortunate position that they are in and believe that Sanders will come to their rescue. Sanders even went so far as to suggest “free college”, gaining a large following from America’s youth.

Corbyn also advocates for “the scrapping of university tuition fees in order to make sure that the most disadvantaged in society are not penalized (Kalantary). Due to this and the fact that both men want to take the power away from the upper class and give it to the middle and lower classes, another word I would use to describe both of these men is empathetic. Sanders in particular personifies empathy through courage and principle, backed up by true compassion for helpless, poverty stricken citizens.

Through his understanding for these human beings, he aims to lead these people morally and honestly. Corbyn displays similar empathy in his campaign, and is also “very honest about what his party is – socialist” (Moore). I wouldn’t hesitate to say that both men would be willing to sit down with people of all different classes and races to discuss how these people feel about current policies, and how they could change them. Another word I would use to describe both men is consistent. Corbyn has stayed consistent with his ideology on “state ownership of utilities like water, power supply and railways, firmly backing Britain’s socialized National Health Service, in favor of higher wages and higher taxes, in favor of controlling the oligarchical excesses of the super-rich” (White).

Bernie Sander’s is also very consistent when it comes to his political beliefs, firmly opposing the Iraq War and the current foreign policy. The last word I would use to describe these two men is middle-class. Both men come from middle-class families and homes, causing them to have more understanding for middle-class people than certain other candidates who come from upper-class families and areas.

In The Guardian, White described Corbyn by stating that Corbyn “talks gently, dresses casually (sometimes in open-toed sandals and socks) and sports a beard. He is humorous but not witty, non-confrontational and scornful of personal invective in either direction. He has been around since the 1% he condemns so passionately were only a quarter as rich as they are today”, and I would most definitely use these exact attributes to describe Bernie Sanders.

In conclusion, certain policies and ideas used in political elections can be consistent around the world. One instance in which this is very true is between Sanders, a current Democratic candidate for President of the United States, and Corbyn, a British parliamentarian set to become leader of the official Labour. Attributes both men share such as empathy and honesty were discussed throughout this essay as why people like them so much. Both of these socialists use morality, honesty, and consistency to attract voters, particularly voters of the younger crowd, due to their progressivism when it comes to policies regarding global warming, LGBT rights, welfare, healthcare, and much more.