You are in the company
of
Roger Warren Evans
Roger Warren Evans
|
|
You are in the company
of
Roger Warren Evans |
|
| Part of www.LivePolitics.net < Back to Home Page |
|
|
item0036C 664, 665 664 20 March 2003
Response A -
"Roger - this is seriously interesting stuff. You ask, in particular, whether your thesis will make sense to my generation. The answer to this must surely be "Yes". At the root of my generation's political apathy is the view that political action brings very little change for the better. And where they see effective political power being wielded, they feel it is usually for the self-benefit of individuals and/or corporations (e.g. Iraq, the U-turn on Kyoto). This has, in their eyes, has almost become the very purpose of politics. Your "liberal socialism", with at its heart the over-riding primacy of a set of human rights, must therefore be a hugely positive step. This first point should be quickly understood (though its primacy over any democratic mandate might be an interesting point for debate). This marries with -
As to the f irst proposition, the political process seems very remote to the average 20-something. I'm about to make some terribly sweeping generalisations here, but here goes... Politics seems to them like an occupation engaged in by (usually) middle aged men In London or some other international capitol. The affluent really couldn't give a damn - life is comfortable. The less affluent are quite aggressive, but strangely passive in their views. No Aneurin Bevans here, wanting to change society - or at least if there are, they don't go to the same meetings that I do. What I'm trying to say therefore is that the redistribution of power to institutions close to the populace is part of the solution.
As to the s econd, those of us involved in the Labour movement need to re-assert what we stand for and bring such principles to the centre of all that we do. As you state, saying that 'what works is what matters' is simply not good enough. The very simple elements you outline in terms of working to defeat fear are unarguable - and can be communicated easily if they are put at the core and kept there.
As to the third,
those of my age will quickly associate with your position on sustainable
development.
As you said in the most recent Fabian newsletter, the challenge is to formulate proposals which address the problems that 20- and 30-somethings identify. I agree. I found this a constructive and thoughtful response - what about you? Drop me a line
665 20 March 2003 Liberal Socialism? your first responses Your
responses to my thoughts about “liberal socialism” have been most informative –
keep them coming! I have analysed with some care the first three responses
(ages 26,32 and 52) – I advance the argument below. I
have not named the respondents – but they will recognise themselves, and they would be
most welcome to join the public debate.
These three responses have one theme in common. It is that any new formula would have to propose a new way of “doing politics”, new methods, new processes. I agree. Our public institutions must be crafted into new forms, more participative in character and more diverse in their configuration, involving a far higher proportion of every civilian population. The powers of governance should be redistributed, away from the narrow political cadres which have come to command them, maximising the satisfaction of participation and minimising the risks of the abuse of state power. 
And
constitutional reforms should be accompanied by fundamental changes in the
organisation of the Labour Party. Such changes are implicit in the
principles of liberal socialism. Let me take the debate further, by
spelling out what those changes should be – “It’s my Party, I can try if I
want to…”
What do you think? Drop me a line
|
|
|
|
Created by GMID Design & Communication COPYRIGHT NOTICE
|
New