Three competing views

In western democracies, certainly in my lifetime, it has been usual to see Politics as a struggle between two opposing camps - I might refer to them as "progressives" and "conservatives" - but in Electoral terms they roughly equate to Labour/Conservative (UK), Democrat/Republican (USA), and the parties of 'the Left' (France - Parti socialiste with Mitterrand & Hollande : Germany - SPD, or 'social democrats) and 'the Right' (France - De Gaulle, Pompidou, VGE, Chirac, Sarkozy : Germany & others - the Christian Democrats).

Of course, there is some blurring at the edges - but for most of my lifetime (b 1960) the two groups had distinct policy preferences, but shared common values. Progressives preferred greater state involvement in industry and the provision of services such as health and housing, while conservatives preferred a higher level of private provision.

But as we look back over the last half century, changes begin to set in. The shared values become contested. The self-proclaimed "conservatives" within the American Republican party, move that party towards a more aggressive approach. We now see a Congress in which any taxation is seen as unacceptable, in which state involvement in services is vehemently opposed. This is not the party Eisenhower or even Nixon would recognise or feel comfortable within. Similarly, in the UK, Harold Macmillan & Ted Heath wouldn't recognise or sympathise the ideology of Gove, Johnson or Iain Duncan Smith.

It is not inconceivable that in the next few days the UK might vote for Brexit, and later this year Donald Trump is elected as the American President. Already governments in Poland and Hungary are giving concern - and Austria just escaped having a far right President.

I put forward this thesis for you to discuss -

In the last 50 years a "third camp" has developed. It has largely taken over the Republican Party; in the UK it is very powerful within the Conservative Party, and its ideology lies behind the Brexit Movement. For all its claims to be 'conservative', It is actually very radical - which explains why it has attracted some support from those who had previously identified with Democrats and the Labour Party. Let's call this camp the 'regressives'.

Unlike progressives and 'old style' conservatives - it is insular (more nationalistic, less minded towards international cooperation); it puts the emphasis on the 'costs' and threats of immigration, rather than recognising the contribution made by immigrants (a real irony in that nation of immigrants, the USA - but also in the UK). It is hostile to any role for the State and regulation - hence its opposition to the EU & the insistence - once common to progressives (Labour) and old fashioned Conservatives (Conservative Party; Christian Democrats & gaullists) - that consumers and workers are entitled to Rights which the State should enforce)

This is not intended as a mere description. It is a call to progressives and true conservatives to tackle this regressive movement.

Republicans need to wrest control from that wing of their party which has foisted Trump on the GOP. They need to challenge the ideology behind the so-called conservative movement. In the UK we need to fight Brexit. We need to talk about ideology. We need to recognise that the thinking which underlies this ideology has spread beyond single parties - and can be found everywhere. It is not just the success of of the 'regressives' - but our failures to recognise and deliver for our fellow citizens which have contributed to the present situation.

We need to expose how this regressive movement has got to the point where it stands on the verge of imposing dramatic damage to our nations. Most of all we need to better articulate the values that WE hold.

I look forward to your comments - and in future posts I shall propose steps that we can take as individuals, and as members of political and other organisations, to turn back the advances of the 'regressives'.