Comments on: A Social-Democratic Strategy for Growth

By: Andrew Watt

Andrew Watt — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:40:24 +0000

Paolo, I share your view that the Left needs to focus on economic growth and not just ’social’ issues. (See also my contribution to the debate: http://www.social-europe.eu/2009/11/new-answers-to-old-questions/). And yes, public (or at least publicly financed) investment is key. Two critical remarks, however. First all discussions of economic growth need to take account of ecological constraints. Fortunately there is at least some scope for public investment producing win-win solutions here. Second, the Delors White Paper focused very much on opening up and liberalising markets, policy recommendations that were actively implemented. While some of this was sensible, much of it was not, and some was decidedly harmful. On the other hand, the calls for higher investment, more R&D, life-long learning etc. in the White paper (and also in the Lisbon Strategy) have remained little more than declarations of intent, with no effective coordination mechanisms.
Andrew

By: Dominic

Dominic — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:38:39 +0000

Very interesting article Paolo. One of the best in the debate so far! It provides a very interesting angle on how a new social democratic labour market regime and growth strategy could look like. Please more of this kind of argument!

By: On Paolo Borioni’s “A Social-Democratic Strategy for Growth” » A Kalapácsos Ember – The Hammering Man - copies, adds, cuts, saves, develops, repairs, writes and translates

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:51:22 +0000

[...] debate on “Building the Good Society” continues to fill up the Social Europe Journal. Some of the contributions have been of high quality, others theoretically displaced from reality [...]