Deception in one pass

The one-time payment announced by Sánchez is a deception, and just read between the lines of what he says. It is presented for all of Spain, but it will not be available for the Canary Islands and the Balearic Islands, since there is no public public transport in these two communities. He also emphasizes … which will benefit 2 million Spaniards, which is not bad, 4 percent, if we consider that we have more than 49 million inhabitants. As if that were not enough, it was born behind the backs of the Autonomous Communities and Municipalities, which hold the powers, but which should participate in them in the future. What we will have to see is what the trick will be to get local administrations to accept, perhaps by conditioning the money on current bonuses so that they adhere to the single subscription.

It also remains to be seen how it will benefit a resident of Soria, Cuenca or Zamora to have to pay 60 euros to be able to board commuter trains, metros and trams, when they do not have any. It seems rather that the measure seeks to thwart Madrid and its transport consortium whose youth pass is even cheaper than the single pass announced.

Luis Martos Diaz. Madrid

Overcoming Partitocracy

The political alternation between left and right has led, over time, to a partitocratic system that puts party interests ahead of the common good. The constant replacement of equipment and policies generates inefficiency, increases public spending and deepens the disconnect between institutions and citizens who end up assuming a high economic and social cost derived from this dynamic.

This model ultimately eroded trust in politics as an instrument of public service. It is therefore essential to find a solid ethics that restores meaning and credibility to political action. In this context, Stoicism appears to be a valuable reference.

Values ​​such as austerity, a sense of duty, self-control and moderation offer an ethical framework capable of transforming politics into an exercise of responsibility and not a means of personal advancement. Serenity and the primacy of duty over individual interest would make it possible to rebuild a culture centered on the community.

It is no coincidence that, after periods of crisis and decline, Stoicism influenced some of the Roman Empire’s moments of greatest stability and splendor. This ethic of duty and service helps strengthen institutions. Today, in a different context but also marked by disenchantment, the recovery of these principles will depend on a firm collective will. Stoicism appears to be an essential and proven philosophy for rethinking politics and evolving towards a more austere, responsible system truly oriented towards the common good.

Marti Gassiot. Barcelona