Analysis By Brian Wheeler Politics reporter, BBC News
Analysis By Brian Wheeler Politics reporter, BBC News
"Look at the wreckage of our broken society. See Britain through the eyes of our children. Are we really proud of our society today?"
"Look at the wreckage of our broken society. See Britain through the eyes of our children. Are we really proud of our society today?"
Tony Blair promised a country reborn in 1995
Tony Blair promised a country reborn in 1995
That was the question posed by a charismatic young leader, seeking to fire up a party battered by long years in opposition but starting, finally, to feel like it was on the road back to power.
That was the question posed by a charismatic young leader, seeking to fire up a party battered by long years in opposition but starting, finally, to feel like it was on the road back to power.
Many of the ideas championed by Tony Blair in 1995 - from the "stakeholder society" to "a new moral purpose for our nation" - have long since faded from view in British politics, along with Mr Blair himself.
Many of the ideas championed by Tony Blair in his 1995 conference speech - from the "stakeholder society" to "a new moral purpose for our nation" - have long since faded from view in British politics, along with Mr Blair himself.
So what makes David Cameron think his ideas on fixing Britain's "broken society" will stand any more chance of success?
So what makes David Cameron think his ideas on fixing Britain's "broken society" will stand any more chance of success?
Opposition parties will always try to persuade voters that the country is going to pieces and that only they have the solution. They also like to sound more in tune with voters' fears than the government.
Opposition parties will always try to persuade voters that the country is going to pieces and that only they have the solution. They also like to sound more in tune with voters' fears than the government.
For Tony Blair it was the Jamie Bulger case, the murder of the toddler by two 10-year-old boys, symbolising, for him, all that had gone wrong with society under the Conservatives.
For Tony Blair it was the Jamie Bulger case, the murder of the toddler by two 10-year-old boys, symbolising, for him, all that had gone wrong with society under the Conservatives.
Falling crime rate
Falling crime rate
For Mr Cameron, it is the "epidemic" of knife crime currently dominating the headlines that has provided the backdrop to his attacks on Labour's record - and his bold forays into traditional Labour ground.
For Mr Cameron, it is the "epidemic" of knife crime currently dominating the headlines that has provided the backdrop to his attacks on Labour's record - and his bold forays into traditional Labour ground.
Labour is proud of its record in social policy.
Labour is proud of its record in social policy.
Far from being broken, it likes to talk about a Britain where millions more have jobs, parents have more rights at work, there is less discrimination against minorities and the life chances of disadvantaged children have been transformed by Sure Start.
Far from being broken, it likes to talk about a Britain where millions more have jobs, parents have more rights at work, there is less discrimination against minorities and the life chances of disadvantaged children have been transformed by Sure Start.
The social unrest of the Thatcher years is fading from voters' memories
The social unrest of the Thatcher years is fading from voters' memories
But many of the deeper social problems Mr Blair spoke about in his 1995 party conference speech - "drugs, violence, youngsters hanging around on street corners with nothing to do" - are still very much with us.
But many of the deeper social problems Mr Blair spoke about in his 1995 party conference speech - "drugs, violence, youngsters hanging around on street corners with nothing to do" - are still very much with us.
However much his successor, Gordon Brown, tries to convince us with statistics - that the crime rate is falling, that millions of children have been "lifted out of poverty" - it still feels to many voters as if something is wrong. That something is in need of "fixing".
However much his successor, Gordon Brown, tries to convince us with statistics - that the crime rate is falling, that millions of children have been "lifted out of poverty" - it still feels to many voters as if something is wrong. That something is in need of "fixing".
Which is, presumably, one reason why Mr Cameron has decided to make social reform his big idea.
Which is, presumably, one reason why Mr Cameron has decided to make social reform his big idea.
He may avoid the messianic tone of Blair circa 1995, who promised nothing less than a country reborn (he has since acknowledged he may have been guilty of "over-promising").
He may avoid the messianic tone of Blair circa 1995, who promised nothing less than a country reborn (he has since acknowledged he may have been guilty of "over-promising").
Social problems
Social problems
But Mr Cameron is promising major changes - "to be as radical a social reformer as Mrs Thatcher was an economic reformer".
But Mr Cameron is promising major changes - "to be as radical a social reformer as Mrs Thatcher was an economic reformer".
But unlike Mr Blair - who pledged to rebuild "civic society" and use the power of the state to transform individual lives - Mr Cameron believes the answer lies in the state doing less.
But unlike Mr Blair - who pledged to rebuild "civic society" and use the power of the state to transform individual lives - Mr Cameron believes the answer lies in the state doing less.
Labour is undoubtedly irked by Mr Cameron's incursion on to what it sees as its home turf
Labour is undoubtedly irked by Mr Cameron's incursion on to what it sees as its home turf
A Cameron government would try to bolster the family and promote marriage through tax breaks - but it would also be likely to dismantle much of the bureaucracy that has grown up around social policy under Labour.
A Cameron government would try to bolster the family and promote marriage through tax breaks - but it would also be likely to dismantle much of the bureaucracy that has grown up around social policy under Labour.
Central government - far from knowing best about how to tackle deep-rooted social problems - often does more harm than good with its meddling, targets and box-ticking, the thinking goes.
Central government - far from knowing best about how to tackle deep-rooted social problems - often does more harm than good with its meddling, targets and box-ticking, the thinking goes.
More faith will be placed in the efforts of volunteers and church groups and on individual responsibility.
More faith will be placed in the efforts of volunteers and church groups and on individual responsibility.
In that sense, it is a very Thatcherite vision.
In that sense, it is a very Thatcherite vision.
And Labour will attack it as such, invoking memories of Thatcher era social strife and division - and accusing the Conservatives of leaving a key policy area to the vagaries of the market.
And Labour will attack it as such, invoking memories of Thatcher era social strife and division - and accusing the Conservatives of leaving a key policy area to the vagaries of the market.
Labour is undoubtedly irked by Mr Cameron's incursion on to what it sees as its home turf.
Labour is undoubtedly irked by Mr Cameron's incursion on to what it sees as its home turf.
It also senses that if Mr Cameron chooses to make social reform the centrepiece of his general election campaign, it will have a decent target to aim at.
It also senses that if Mr Cameron chooses to make social reform the centrepiece of his general election campaign, it will have a decent target to aim at.
But after what will then likely be 12 years of a Labour government, and with the "Tory cuts" and social unrest of the Thatcher years a fast-fading memory for many voters, will anyone be listening?
But after what will then likely be 12 or 13 years of a Labour government, and with the "Tory cuts" and social unrest of the Thatcher years a fast-fading memory for many voters, will anyone be listening?
