We fix what’s wrong with politics
Our vote is one of the most powerful tools we have – but it no longer feels like it. We demand action but governments don’t act. Why?
Destructive Global Competition prevents them from implementing the policies needed to solve global problems. That’s why, whoever gets elected, nothing much changes and our problems get worse. So we need a new way of voting. One that offers a potent and powerful tool for global justice.
Doing politics differently
Instead of voting for this or that party in the vain hope that they can deliver real change, you can use your vote to drive the politicians of all parties to support Simpol.
By joining Simpol you’re telling politicians that you'll be giving strong preference at all future national elections to politicians or parties who support Simpol, to the probable exclusion of those who don't. In that way, politicians who fail to support Simpol risk losing votes - and possibly their seats - to those who do. As our numbers grow, this creates a 'domino effect' on politicians: when one politician confirms their support, others have little choice but to follow. That's how we've already driven these politicians to support the campaign.
Don't think for a second that your vote doesn't matter
By supporting Simpol, we’re ramping up the pressure on politicians and parties to sign our pledge and implement the simultaneous policies we need. Remember: politicians can easily ignore protests and petitions, but they can't ignore your vote! The stakes have never been higher, and as a citizen, you’ve never held such power and influence. We invite you to use it.
Frequently asked questions
If you’re a citizen who wants to know more about Simpol, you may find the answer to your questions below. If you're a politician, take a look at our Politicians' FAQs.
No, we’re not a political party. Being a Simpol supporter means agreeing to give strong preference in future national elections to candidates who’ve pledged to implement Simpol. Politicians know they have to sign the pledge if they want the best chance of receiving your vote and those of a growing number of our supporters.
And the pressure we exert works. These politicians already support the campaign.
No, not at all. You always retain the ultimate right to vote as you please.
But by agreeing to give strong preference to candidates who’ve signed our pledge, you're telling politicians that they'll be much more likely to get your vote if they sign the pledge, which forces them to take action.
Yes, you can. Once we start the process of policy development, we’ll ensure that all supporters have an opportunity to contribute.
Some politicians sign the Simpol pledge because they think it’s a great idea, while others may do so just to gain more votes.
If you think that they'll sign the pledge only to cancel it after the election, remember that Simpol doesn't get implemented until all or sufficient nations are on board. So, until that point arrives, there’s nothing for a politician to go back on.
Cancelling their pledge would make no sense and would only risk them losing the votes they hoped to gain. And by the time enough international support for Simpol has been achieved, the severity of global problems will mean it’ll be in their best interests to make it work.
Only citizens with the democratic right to vote can support Simpol, but the governments of non-democratic nations can still sign up. But why would they?
Global issues impact us all. Many non-democracies are feeling the effects of issues like climate change and tax competition even more than their democratic counterparts. That's why it's in their best interests to support a Simultaneous Policy approach.
Simpol is run by volunteers around the world, led by founder, John Bunzl, and guided by Simpol's Founding Declaration.
We take guidance and support from citizens, academics, behavioural scientists, NGOs and anyone with a deep interest in solving global problems. To maintain independence and objectivity, we don’t accept donations from for-profit organisations.
In an ideal world, yes, but there are many problems with UN processes which Simpol would resolve:
- UN agreements, for example on reducing carbon emissions, only contain broad targets and a vague timetable for implementation. Simpol, by contrast, would contain specific policies and a precise date for their simultaneous implementation.
- UN agreements typically deal only with single issues, such as carbon emissions. But take any single issue and you'll almost always find that some nations win while others lose. So, there’s no real incentive for the losers to cooperate. Simpol, by contrast, would contain multiple issues, so what nations may lose on one issue but gain on another. That way, taking action is in everyone's interests.
- There’s no electoral cost to national politicians if they fail to implement UN agreements. With Simpol, by contrast, not only does simultaneous action make cooperation in all nation's interests, politicians know that if they fail to do what’s required, they risk losing the votes of Simpol supporters. As our numbers grow, that could cost them the election.
By supporting Simpol you're engaging something powerful which politicians ultimately cannot ignore: your vote! Simpol isn't just a campaign that hopes global problems might get solved, it's a process for making sure they are.
On the really large strides that governments need to take – such as a 60-80% cut in carbon emissions – these cannot be taken by any nation alone.
On the smaller actions that individual governments can and sometimes do take alone, would they use their support of Simpol as an excuse to delay implementing them? We think that’s highly unlikely.
Remember, a national government would only have signed the pledge as a result of large numbers of voters supporting the campaign. Given that level of citizen-support it's likely that the party in government, and the main competitor parties, would have signed the pledge. In those circumstances, any party indicating that it might delay taking even relatively small actions would only be inviting Simpol supporters to vote for its opposition.
Politicians who’ve signed the pledge
Vote like our future depends on it
The stakes have never been higher, and as a citizen, you’ve never held such power and influence. By supporting Simpol, you’re ramping up the pressure on politicians and parties to sign our pledge and implement our simultaneous policies.
Help us improve
Can you answer some questions about your experiences with Simpol to help us improve?