compulsory membership: it's all about money

If you're involved in a compulsory student association, there are two rules you must always remember.

1. Compulsory membership is all about money. In particular, it's all about you being able to stick your hand into students' pockets and take their money without their consent.
2. Regardless of what else happens, always think about how it affects rule number one.

Forget about fees, loans and allowances. Forget about social justice, gender equality, globalisation and all that nonsense; your absolute number one priority is to protect your stream of unearned income. This means defending compulsory membership at all costs.

The massive increase student numbers in recent years has caused compulsory student associations to become large wealthy organisations. A lot of people now have a lot at stake with compulsory associations be it as:
- student politicians using associations to promote their worldview or gain experience before they move onto 'real' politics or jobs in the trade union movement
- employees in highly protected positions who have to stuff up really, really badly before they get fired
- activists who use student money to push their political agenda
- student media types who get to play at running their own magazine or radio station
- student sport types who can't believe their luck that there's a system which means other students have to subsidise their hobbies.

All of these people have a very strong vested interest in seeing compulsory membership continue to deliver a free flow of money.

That's why, as a compulsory membership supporter, you must do everything to ensure you continue to receive unearned income. Even if you've publicly opposed university fee increases you must be prepared to support student association fee increases.

Remember - it's all about money.