The New Labour Ideology.docx

means vs. ends?? update or abandon? When we look at Giddens and Blair, it is unsurprising that they frame their politics in the language of traditional social democracy. But this is only at the most abstract of levels: community; equality; none of these are intrinsically “labour” I think there is a trade-off here: traditional British social democracy is about full employment; planning; nationalization. Labour replaces this by a belief in a free market My image of traditional social democracy is more about “policies” as above than values But there are values that justify this. Equality remains a key tenet; community doesn’t go anywhere Debate is whether NL, in adapting to new pressures, has devised innovative and imaginative means to realise established ends – or engaged in a re-evaluation of those ends themselves Giddens: preserves left’s basic values e.g. solidarity, combating inequality The New Labour ideology  

State important in social affairs, but combined with a belief in free-market economics Equality of opportunity e.g. education

The Third Way 

Principal objective of the “Third Way” was to move beyond both the democratic socialism espoused by “Old” Labour, and the neo-conservatism of Th and Major. [81] o Specifically, sought to temper free-market capitalism with social justice, while attempted to avoid an “excessive domination of the state over social and economic life” (Giddens)

A shift to the centre 

Importance of the middle classes. But also can’t alienate core supporters o A Downsian median voter?

An accommodation to Thatcherism? 

Accepts reduced borrowing, privatisation, flexible labour markets, reduced union power, low inflation, certain benefit cuts etc.

A revival of social democracy? 

Goals the same (welfare; equality; social justice), but NL has a new flexibility about means

Reasons for electoral success  

Party reforms. Abandonment of extreme LW policies starts under Kinnock; later stuff like One Member One Vote; and then of course Clause IV (cf. economic credibility) Conservative image: incompetency (e.g. Black Wednesday) and sleaze