debating progressive politics in Europe and beyond
Political parties on the European centre-left need to avoid been caught between instrumentalism (the practice of ‘spin’ politics and tactical manipulation); and utopianism (seeking to rediscover lost dreams and visions) The debate following the publication of Policy Network’s programmatic statement, A Centre-Left Project for New Times, has been rich and inspiring. Nonetheless, the conclusions drawn about the state of social democracy have [...]
The recent development of ‘progressive’ Conservatism presents a distinct and potent challenge to traditional modes of social democratic thought. Most apparent in the governing strategies of centre-right parties in Germany, Sweden and the UK, it seeks control of the centre-ground through a reputation for economic competence, scepticism about the efficacy of the state, and a [...]
Social democrats must dig deep into their own rich history of empowering political thought, whilst looking beyond Europe’s shores to a world of new ideas The present weakness of centre-left parties in the industrialised world is frequently attributed to poor leadership, flawed electoral strategy, and dysfunctional communications. Contingent and conjectural factors such as the global [...]
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