How the Left is misjudging the CoVid crisis
After the 2008 financial crash, many people on the Left took to their blogs (and sometimes, their newspaper columns) to write about how the crisis would mean the end of capitalism, the rise of socialism and the triumph of left over right. We all know how that one turned out. The Left is making a similar mistake again, at least so far they are. They are assuming that the crisis will work in their favour when they should be worried about the opposite taking place.
The current left-wing theory about CoVid goes: as western societies, even ones governed by traditionally fiscally right-wing leaders and parties such as in the UK, pump massive amounts of public money out to keep the economy going, this will normalise socialism. It will deal capitalism either its death blow or a wound so deep it will never fully recover. Classical liberal ideas about how the world should be run are going to be one of the victims of CoVid to be replaced by much larger states with a much more interventionist bent. Socialism is about to win.
Except there are loads of ways to realistically predict the crisis unfolding from here where the exact opposite happens. The Tory government spends huge amounts of money over a short period of time in order to save the economy. The message then is that we need to tighten our belts to save for the next crisis – and the public go along with this. Any Labour plan to spend money on almost anything could be characterised as wishing to risk people’s lives “for the sake of ideology”. When you lay on top of this the still weak Labour Party, it is not that difficult to imagine playing out.
Beyond worrying about a low spending state making a big time comeback, the Left also need to contend with the nationalist right possibly gaining ground. Far Right groups flourish in a crisis and could make hay during this one. We can only hope not, but it cannot be discounted as a risk. In other words, we could end up with large states with lots of power and a distinctly un-left approach.
I suppose my main point here is to ask why the Left seems to always assume that things are going to go their way when they never do? Why don’t they stop and evaluate the situation and how it pertains to them in the most level headed way possible? Part of it is the religiosity of the far left; there is a feeling within it, unconsciously borrowed from Christianity, that the end days are bound to come soon and when they do, the righteous, i.e. them, will be saved. I think it is hard to mingle practical thinking with this sort of belief. But that is only a hypothesis on my part.
Whatever the reason, I think there are a lot of reasons the left as well as the centre-left should be hesitant in their appraisal that we are on the cusp of some new progressive age. It sure doesn’t feel like that’s happening for a start, does it?
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In a few weeks time, I have another book coming out. It’s called “Politics is Murder” and follows the tale of a woman named Charlotte working at a failing think tank who has got ahead in her career in a novel way – she is a serial killer. One day, the police turn up at her door and tell her she is a suspect in a murder – only thing is, it is one she had nothing to do with. The plot takes in Conservative Party conference, a plot against the Foreign Secretary and some gangsters while Charlotte tries to find out who is trying to frame her for a murder she didn’t commit.
Also: there is a subplot around the government trying to built a stupid bridge, which now seems a charming echo of a more innocent time!
This is what I think Boris is trying to do here
23RD MARCH 2020 BY NICK 5 COMMENTS(EDIT)
As many of you already know, I’ve never been a fan of Boris Johnson. I don’t hate the man or even really dislike him; I just think he chose the wrong line of work. There is an alternative universe where the Boris Johnson Show on BBC1 is keeping the nation warm during the crisis, as Boris interviews celebs and MPs via Skype, with the usual technological breakdowns adding to the standard Boris shenanigans. I’ve always seen Johnson as an entertainer, not a serious bloke. Certainly not someone who should be prime minister at the best of times – and God help us for the worst.
Yet I now want to take the time to be as objective as possible about how he has handled this crisis so far. I’ll start off by saying that on my Twitter timeline – and digging deeper into FBPE Twitter in general, because I have that sort of time at the moment – a widely shared video clip showed what appeared to be the draconian punch back awaiting anyone in China who defies the authorities over any aspect of their CoVid policy. It ends with the victim having a net forcefully fitted over his head before he is dragged off mercilessly by the authorities.
I don’t speak Mandarin or any other Chinese language, so I have no idea what’s being said in the video. What I can comment on is the left/FBPE/anti-Boris section of social media’s response, which to summarise was: you see, Boris? This is how you deal with CoVid! Which is interesting since only last week, a lot of these same people would have been calling Boris a proto-fascist who is looking for any excuse to grab power. Hell, some of them are still claiming that while simultaneously sharing videos of what goes on in a dictatorship and being upset that Boris isn’t doing the same thing and grabbing all the power for the state available. All while never beginning to grasp the irony.
If this crisis undoes Boris Johnson as a politician, it will be because he was too unwilling to grab power for the state; he was too liberal in the most basic sense. He is clearly fighting against a lot of his cabinet at present, who want to introduce heaver measures like full lockdown. Now, it may be that, given the circumstances, those calling for more restrictions on movement are right and Boris is wrong in an objective sense. What cannot be said is that Boris is the fascist here. To keep saying that in the face of clear evidence is nonsensical.
Boris has fought against depriving Brits of their liberties as much as possible since the beginning of this crisis. I still don’t think he’s the right man to be prime minister because, more than ever now, I don’t see him as a serious enough figure to be prime minister, particularly in a time of crisis. But it’s clear where his instincts lie and that is in favouring personal liberty to a fault. Liberals should at least acknowledge this, even if they think that perhaps he’s been too liberal given the circumstances. The “Boris is a fascist” thing never held any water for me but has now been disproven to everyone who doesn’t want to wear very thick partisan glasses.
In fact, I’ll close by saying that I actually fear for Boris, as in, for the first time since he became leader of the Conservative Party, I’m conflicted about wanting to see him stay in the job. I used to take it as a given that I’d be happy if almost any other Tory MP took the job but now I’m far less sure. Even if Boris has massively screwed up by not being authoritarian enough over the last couple of weeks, I fear for what happens if Johnson goes only to be replaced by a Tory MP who will have no second thoughts about grabbing as much power as possible. It may get us through the crisis in a way Boris wouldn’t have managed – but what happens after we’re through this horror show and are left with someone truly authoritarian in charge? Jesus, shows how bad things have got that I now have some shred of hope that Boris Johnson hangs onto his premiership. But that’s where we are.
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In a few weeks time, I have another book coming out. It’s called “Politics is Murder” and follows the tale of a woman named Charlotte working at a failing think tank who has got ahead in her career in a novel way – she is a serial killer. One day, the police turn up at her door and tell her she is a suspect in a murder – only thing is, it is one she had nothing to do with. The plot takes in Conservative Party conference, a plot against the Foreign Secretary and some gangsters while Charlotte tries to find out who is trying to frame her for a murder she didn’t commit.
Also: there is a subplot around the government trying to built a stupid bridge, which now seems a charming echo of a more innocent time!
It’s out on April 9th, but you can pre-order here:
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