You Can’t Separate Business From Politics: Here’s Why

As the voting part of the 2020 Presidential election disappears into the past, and the nation’s institutions begin to look into how things will change, many businesses will be doing likewise. For some business owners, and no small number of private citizens, the temptation will however be to remain resolutely apolitical. 

It’s understandable to react to political news with either indifference or irritation. Very often, the race between people and parties can be a distraction from pursuing your business goals, and expressing an opinion on one side or the other (or even advocating neutrality) can be a risk. However, it would be a mistake to ignore politics entirely, because it’s going to happen whether or not you participate, and even if you don’t pay any attention it can still affect you.

Present-day politics is polarized

A common political statement which has been uttered across several decades is “I just don’t trust politicians – they’re all the same, it doesn’t matter who you vote for”. We could argue about the truth or otherwise of this statement, but in the 2020 Presidential campaign it was perhaps less true than it has ever been before. The identity of the winner had, and has, profound and divisive implications for everything from pandemic response to environmental policy – and all of this will affect businesses both large and small.

In 2020, being apolitical is a political statement

The very fact that the political world exists is testament to the fact that people are divided. If we all agreed on everything, there would be no need for elections or parties. However, the divisions that have always existed feel deeper now, to the extent that people will view even a position of apathy to be “taking a side”. If you are an advertising agency, you can’t be ignorant of the size of marketing budgets for political campaigns, demonstrating how much every vote matters to a huge number of people. Even if you keep your own political stance private, it has to be tempting to recognize the potential to make money from campaigning.

We live in a deeply interconnected world

If your business has any reach at all beyond the local, then it is worth bearing in mind that the election just passed is far from the first or last one to matter. Indeed, merely within the USA we are looking ahead to January at a pair of Senate election run-offs in Georgia that will have direct implications for the country. On top of this, if you source ingredients or components from other countries, then political developments in overseas markets can affect the prices you pay and the waiting times you’ll experience when ordering, so it is beneficial to be aware of politics in those countries at least, even if you remain on the fence from a partisan standpoint.

It’s easy to be cynical about politics, and it can be tempting as a business owner to avoid taking sides. However, turning your back on the concept and ignoring the outcomes is something that can harm your business, so it pays to at least be informed on the subject.

This is a contributed post.