http://www.social-europe.eu/2009/11/the-good-society-needs-good-social-democrats/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-good-society-needs-good-social-democrats debating progressive politics in Europe and beyond Tue, 27 Jul 2010 15:12:46 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 http://www.social-europe.eu/2009/11/the-good-society-needs-good-social-democrats/comment-page-1/#comment-3253 D.D. Todd Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:14:18 +0000 http://www.social-europe.eu/?p=2380#comment-3253 I wish you would make clear what you mean by 'narrative'. As near as I can make out, you must mean that Social Democratic parties need an attractive 'Big Picture' ideology as well as those familiar narrowly focused policy positions on particular sectors of society - the health services, financial regulation, housing policy etc. etc. If this is what you mean, I agree. And if this is what you mean, I wish you, or someone, would at least provide us with a sketch of a 'Big Picture' ideology so that it can be debated. I wish you would make clear what you mean by ‘narrative’. As near as I can make out, you must mean that Social Democratic parties need an attractive ‘Big Picture’ ideology as well as those familiar narrowly focused policy positions on particular sectors of society – the health services, financial regulation, housing policy etc. etc. If this is what you mean, I agree. And if this is what you mean, I wish you, or someone, would at least provide us with a sketch of a ‘Big Picture’ ideology so that it can be debated.

]]> http://www.social-europe.eu/2009/11/the-good-society-needs-good-social-democrats/comment-page-1/#comment-3246 Robin Wilson Thu, 12 Nov 2009 22:47:01 +0000 http://www.social-europe.eu/?p=2380#comment-3246 This is a very interesting argument, with an interesting conclusion. Conventionally, social democrats across Europe have looked to the Nordic countries, especially Sweden, for models of success, and rightly so. But on most counts the above table suggests that the PSOE is currently the best performer. And there is an important logic to this: while the Nordics have been the forerunners in universal welfare states which have minimised the inequality arising from capitalism, the PSOE has indeed led the way in developing the liberal aspect of social democracy. On issues like gender equality or the upholding of the rule of law and human rights in combating terrroism, the PSOE under Zapatero has a strong record. This is a very interesting argument, with an interesting conclusion. Conventionally, social democrats across Europe have looked to the Nordic countries, especially Sweden, for models of success, and rightly so. But on most counts the above table suggests that the PSOE is currently the best performer. And there is an important logic to this: while the Nordics have been the forerunners in universal welfare states which have minimised the inequality arising from capitalism, the PSOE has indeed led the way in developing the liberal aspect of social democracy. On issues like gender equality or the upholding of the rule of law and human rights in combating terrroism, the PSOE under Zapatero has a strong record.

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