Beyond New Labour: The future of social democracy in Britain

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Beyond New Labour: the future of social democracy in Britain
PublicationsArticlesDate: 12 June 2009
Editor(s): Patrick Diamond & Roger Liddle



How can social democracy adapt to today's changing world?

Social democratic thinking has to come to terms with the dramatic economic and social transformations sweeping the world. The importance of the state has been reaffirmed, but the future cannot lie solely in a return to statism and a revival of Keynesian social democracy.

This crisis represents an ideological turning point. Greater economic intervention may be wholly necessary; however, it is not sufficient.Equally, in society there can be no return to the ‘normality’ that prevailed before the global crisis. Something new is needed. There are serious tensions in the coalition between ‘cosmopolitan’ and ‘communitarian’ world-views, essentially a gulf between those who welcome globalisation and those who resist it, which cannot remain concealed forever. Before a ‘new’ social democracy can be constructed that both masters the new economic conjuncture and reintegrates these underlying conflicts, a significant period of profound debate is unavoidable.

Beyond New Labour aims to stimulate such a debate about the next generation of the social democratic programme for Britain. It does not focus directly on the future of the Labour Party. Instead, by examining in turn the economy, culture, equality, society, the constitution and foreign affairs, it considers the structural choices and constraints that shape the potential of social democracy.

This vital and timely book is edited by Patrick Diamond and Roger Liddle, who have also written key chapters and the introduction and conclusion. They have assembled an important team of influential contributors to ensure that the book has real breadth and offers a major contribution to political debate.

Purchase a copy of the book here.

Contents

Introduction: Why social democracy needs new thinking
Patrick Diamond & Roger Liddle

Part I: Overview

Chapter 1. After progress
David Marquand

Chapter 2. "Broken Britain"? The new economic and social realities facing British social democrats in the 21st Century
Roger Liddle & Simon Latham

Chapter 3. The electoral map
Peter Riddell

Part II: Economy and culture

Chapter 4. Progressive economics
Will Hutton

Chapter 5. Market failure
John Kay

Chapter 6. Democracy, community and culture
Melvyn Bragg

Part III. Equality, society and family

Chapter 7. A progressive agenda in relation to family, gender and generation
Mary Daly

Chapter 8. Social justice in a changing world: Towards a fairer Britain
Patrick Diamond

Chapter 9. Identity in Britain
Hannah Jameson

Part IV. The constitution and foreign affairs

Chapter 10. Constitutional reform
Iain McLean

Chapter 11. Foreign policy
Donald Macintyre

Conclusion: The challenge of renewal
Patrick Diamond & Roger Liddle