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A New Politics from the Left
Millions passionately desire a viable alternative to austerity and neoliberalism, but they are sceptical of traditional leftist top-down state solutions.
In this urgent polemic, Hilary Wainwright argues that this requires a new politics for the left that comes from the bottom up, based on participatory democracy and the everyday knowledge and creativity of each individual. Political leadership should be about facilitation and partnership, not expert domination or paternalistic rule.
Wainwright uses lessons from recent movements and experiments to build a radical future vision that will be an inspiration for activists and radicals everywhere.
In this urgent polemic, Hilary Wainwright argues that this requires a new politics for the left that comes from the bottom up, based on participatory democracy and the everyday knowledge and creativity of each individual. Political leadership should be about facilitation and partnership, not expert domination or paternalistic rule.
Wainwright uses lessons from recent movements and experiments to build a radical future vision that will be an inspiration for activists and radicals everywhere.
140 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 27, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 6, 2018
The back cover of this title says that Wainwright is arguing for a "viable alternative to austerity and neoliberalism" and that this "requires a new politics for the left that comes from the bottom up, based on participatory democracy and the everyday knowledge and creativity of each individual" - so essentially the kind of socialism that Marx hinted at but never quite defined in his writings.
In other words we first need to recover socialism as an ideology in the minds of most people from the extremes of the state-capitalistic terror of Stalin or Mao and from the focus on a solidly "parliamentarist", state-driven, social democratic direction such as the Labour Party in the UK focused on from 1951-1994 and certainly from the private market neoliberalism of Labour that arose during the Blair years.
That the Labour Party has never been quite able to coalesce around a strong socialistic message before now is not a surprise to some, it could be argued that the Party's broad church has never allowed it to be a truly socialist movement, but with the advent of Corbyn it is exciting to see examples of grassroots social movements having some influence on politics again.
I really appreciate the optimism of Wainwright's writing, it isn't often that a political book offers a glimpse of what could be or sets out how change could be effected but Wainwright has done that. She clearly states that it wouldn't be right for her to provide a complete road map, and in fact that would be against her thesis of collaborative politics, but she does offer a clear vision of how social movements can reconnect with politics and, to paraphrase Jeremy Corbyn, allow humans to do things collectively again.
The irony of Wainwright's argument lies in the title. It would be a new politics if the ideas she puts forward were implemented but they would be based on old ideas and themes; the fact that no-one since our pre-historic days has ever implemented them fully or successfully is not the issue; the fact that there could always be a first time is what keeps me hoping.
In other words we first need to recover socialism as an ideology in the minds of most people from the extremes of the state-capitalistic terror of Stalin or Mao and from the focus on a solidly "parliamentarist", state-driven, social democratic direction such as the Labour Party in the UK focused on from 1951-1994 and certainly from the private market neoliberalism of Labour that arose during the Blair years.
That the Labour Party has never been quite able to coalesce around a strong socialistic message before now is not a surprise to some, it could be argued that the Party's broad church has never allowed it to be a truly socialist movement, but with the advent of Corbyn it is exciting to see examples of grassroots social movements having some influence on politics again.
I really appreciate the optimism of Wainwright's writing, it isn't often that a political book offers a glimpse of what could be or sets out how change could be effected but Wainwright has done that. She clearly states that it wouldn't be right for her to provide a complete road map, and in fact that would be against her thesis of collaborative politics, but she does offer a clear vision of how social movements can reconnect with politics and, to paraphrase Jeremy Corbyn, allow humans to do things collectively again.
The irony of Wainwright's argument lies in the title. It would be a new politics if the ideas she puts forward were implemented but they would be based on old ideas and themes; the fact that no-one since our pre-historic days has ever implemented them fully or successfully is not the issue; the fact that there could always be a first time is what keeps me hoping.
June 29, 2018
The ideas presented in the book were interesting, but it was written in a very academic format whereby those that are interested in it would feel at ease at following, it lacked a clear-cut narrative. However, I think the ideas contained in the book are effective and thought provoking therefore I think it fulfils its purpose, think a more defined narrative-arc would make this book perfect!
July 18, 2018
Hilary Wainwright is a sociologist and political activist best know for co-editing Red Pepper whose unconvincing boom claims to offer a “new politics for the left” but effectively offers up old theories that rely on specific changes in economic and political power to be effective, which is a shame because the rise in participation in Labour indicates a hunger for participation by Wainwright’s left offers no new ideas to help them.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews