In Britain today, the results of the Labour Party leadership vote were announced. Ultra-leftist Jeremy Corbyn won with just under 60% of the vote. It's hard to understand how that could have happened. Nevertheless, this move signals the change of Labour from a national party to a much smaller but more ideological one. Labour has given up a chance for power to cling to old style leftist ideas.
A quick look at British history is needed to understand what just happened. Through the 19th century, British politics was dominated by two parties: the Conservatives and the Liberals. With the advancement of industrialization across Britain and the dissatisfaction of the public with World War I and the privations it caused, Labour replaced the Liberals among the two main parties. The first Labour government was in the 1920's. Through the 20s, 30s and 40s, Labour supported a Socialist policy. It favored nationalization of industries, national health, and many social welfare programs. There were intervals of Tory rule, but the push in British government was towards the Labour position. By the late 1970s, much of the British economy was owned by the government and much more was controlled by the government through strict regulation. Taxation was extremely high as well. The UK economy was stagnant and Britain fell behind Germany (then West Germany), France and Italy among the European countries. As it got to the point where Spain looked likely to surpass the once mighty UK economy, things changed. The British chose Margaret Thatcher as prime minister, and she brought with her an unapologetic commitment to market economics. The Thatcherite Conservatives privatized a great many government companies. They lifted regulations and lowered taxation. The preached self-reliance to a degree that had been unthinkable in the era when Labour guided the land. There was tremendous upset as the economy was turned around and social programs were changed. After a few years, however, the British economy woke up from two decades of stagnation. The British public came to realize that the economy of nationalized companies and strict Socialist regulation did not work.
In the 1990s, after a very long stretch of Tory rule, the Labour Party finally regained power under the leadership of Tony Blair. Labour, however, had to abandon its strident Socialism and move much more towards the political center in order to get a majority. Blair, however, remains the only Labour Party leader to win an election since Thatcher first won in the 1970s. In the recent elections, Labour had moved towards a more Socialist program and it lost badly.
The question presented to the Labour Party members has been how to best react to the recent thrashing at the polls. By picking Corbyn, Labour has chosen to go back towards its old time policies from the 1930s. Those, of course, are the policies that British voters have rejected on a regular basis for nearly 50 years.
It will be interesting to see what happens to Labour as time passes and various elections are held. The next parliamentary elections need not take place for more than four years. Will a new, more centrist party emerge on the scene to take the bulk of Labour voters from their old home? Will the Tories under prime minister Cameron move towards the center to also get some of those voters? One thing is certain: there is a big chunk of the British electorate that is not going to vote for the Labour invitation for a trip down "Socialist Memory Lane".
A quick look at British history is needed to understand what just happened. Through the 19th century, British politics was dominated by two parties: the Conservatives and the Liberals. With the advancement of industrialization across Britain and the dissatisfaction of the public with World War I and the privations it caused, Labour replaced the Liberals among the two main parties. The first Labour government was in the 1920's. Through the 20s, 30s and 40s, Labour supported a Socialist policy. It favored nationalization of industries, national health, and many social welfare programs. There were intervals of Tory rule, but the push in British government was towards the Labour position. By the late 1970s, much of the British economy was owned by the government and much more was controlled by the government through strict regulation. Taxation was extremely high as well. The UK economy was stagnant and Britain fell behind Germany (then West Germany), France and Italy among the European countries. As it got to the point where Spain looked likely to surpass the once mighty UK economy, things changed. The British chose Margaret Thatcher as prime minister, and she brought with her an unapologetic commitment to market economics. The Thatcherite Conservatives privatized a great many government companies. They lifted regulations and lowered taxation. The preached self-reliance to a degree that had been unthinkable in the era when Labour guided the land. There was tremendous upset as the economy was turned around and social programs were changed. After a few years, however, the British economy woke up from two decades of stagnation. The British public came to realize that the economy of nationalized companies and strict Socialist regulation did not work.
In the 1990s, after a very long stretch of Tory rule, the Labour Party finally regained power under the leadership of Tony Blair. Labour, however, had to abandon its strident Socialism and move much more towards the political center in order to get a majority. Blair, however, remains the only Labour Party leader to win an election since Thatcher first won in the 1970s. In the recent elections, Labour had moved towards a more Socialist program and it lost badly.
The question presented to the Labour Party members has been how to best react to the recent thrashing at the polls. By picking Corbyn, Labour has chosen to go back towards its old time policies from the 1930s. Those, of course, are the policies that British voters have rejected on a regular basis for nearly 50 years.
It will be interesting to see what happens to Labour as time passes and various elections are held. The next parliamentary elections need not take place for more than four years. Will a new, more centrist party emerge on the scene to take the bulk of Labour voters from their old home? Will the Tories under prime minister Cameron move towards the center to also get some of those voters? One thing is certain: there is a big chunk of the British electorate that is not going to vote for the Labour invitation for a trip down "Socialist Memory Lane".
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