The Labour party's nicer supporters argue that Brown and Blair before him are not really representative of what Labour stands for. They argue that the real Labour values must be reasserted and that if the Party is abandoned to a leadership that was effectively achieved by internal coup and then has isolated itself from democratic attempts to remove it, or even make it answerable to the membership which embodies the values of real Labour, then there won't be a political party that represents the interests of ordinary people and fairness. Only government can intervene to right the wrongs thrown off by a capitalist economy. Some argue there should not be a capitalist economy at all, but a utopian society where market allocation is replaced by abundance, abundance that can be achieved only by economic direction and planning.
Are they serious in their poposal that we should vote Labour in the hope of their retrieving their party from what they insist is merely a temporary deviationist cabal? They argue for equality, participation, civil rights, the taming of the market through planning and redistribution to deliver the abundance and the fairness, for peaceful relations with other countries, for fulfilment of individual potential through education to yield personal happiness and effective contribution to civil society. I could go on but really what they have is not a party that stands for any of this - nor is it a party that they can reach to change in any way at all.
Labour is the party of inequality and war and everything that flows from that. Death, moral shame, waste, authoritarianism, brutality in the delivery of state power, hierarchy, exclusion, hopelessness. Decent people who have tried to remove the stain that spreads from their party onto our society have failed repeatedly within the party to set things right. Perhaps they might consider joining the electorate now in voting to remove Labour from power and then continue their fruitless struggle while at least the country is freed from Brown and his destructive power trip.
Or set out clearly for those of us who agree with them on the aims and purposes of government how they will remove Brown and his grip upon their party before we vote.
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6 comments:
It's a bit like communism Hatfield Girl. Whenever it fails (and it always does eventually) its supporters distance themselves rapidly then claim what was experienced wasn't representative of what 'real' communism is all about.
But it never stops them supporting it and trying to prop it up. But this is unsurprising as many of Labour's leading lights (if you can call them that) were members of the communist party who edged across to Labour, because the chance of power was so much greater.
Decent Labour - surely an oxymoron!
I know lots of nice Labour people, Raven; they are in despair at what their party has become. I think they have what might be called the old photographs view of Labour.
New Labour has stolen their past but not their virtues.
AM, I can't agree. Whenever it fails its supporters shoot people who are trying to get away.
Interesting observation Hatfield Girl. I wonder if we will be treated to pictures where Hoon has been airbrushed out and pearl handled revolvers being passed around at Labour HQ if they fail to beat Cameron?
"...abundance that can be achieved only by economic direction and planning."
Are there really people who still believe that, despite the last ninety years or so of evidence to the contrary?
It's hard to decide whether to hold them in contempt on behalf of the murdered tens of millions, or to admire them for their indomitable, unjustifiable, unfathomable, misplaced optimism.
On balance, I think the former.
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