Communicator (communicator) wrote,
Communicator
communicator

'What does it mean to be on the Left'

The Left Wing think tank Demos is running a project called Open Left, which is about attempting to define what 'The Left' is and could be. You can join the debate by answering six questions online here. Some of the answers they have received are shown here.

What is it about your political beliefs that puts you on the Left rather than the Right?
There are two aspects to it. One is that I think people helping each other is a better model for survival than competition for reward: and nobody is so strong as to survive without the mercy of all. The other is that I think the systems which give people power over others, in our society, are badly broken. People who have neither brains nor honour assume authority over others. In any case, it needs to change. That boils down to survival too.

What do you consider made you Left wing?
Being smart, female and working class. There's nowhere else to go.

How would you describe the sort of society you want Britain to be?
Let every type of work be done by people who can do it well. Let the basic needs of life be met. Let everyone be safe from violence. Then let people get on with it, and it will work out OK.

What one or two changes would make the biggest difference to bringing that about?
A change in the emotional temper of society, so that people value in themselves and others the things they do, rather than the things they own.

What most makes you angry about the way Britain is now?
People pretend that there can be nothing better than this.

Which person, event, era or movement from the past should we look to for inspiration now?
The second world war, when there was a shared goal which surpassed all private success, and people admired each other for working together towards it.


BTW I was too shy to enter these answers on the demos site.
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