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| When Britain stops blaming itself, it can overthrow the existing order | When Britain stops blaming itself, it can overthrow the existing order |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Following the credit crunch, you might have supposed free market thinking was dead and buried. The banks – deregulated stormtroopers of the neoliberal army – nearly caused the collapse of the world economy and the taxpayer picked up the tab for the gamblers in the City casino. | Following the credit crunch, you might have supposed free market thinking was dead and buried. The banks – deregulated stormtroopers of the neoliberal army – nearly caused the collapse of the world economy and the taxpayer picked up the tab for the gamblers in the City casino. |
| Using the huge debts created by the crunch (and not by excessive public spending, as proved by Institute of Fiscal Studies figures), the uber-Thatcherite young Tories sought to dismantle the welfare state. They continue to rob most of us to give to the rich. | |
| But Monday's report of findings from the YouGov survey offered persuasive evidence that the British population is finally turning away from the greed is good, selfish individualism that Thatcherism and Blatcherism engendered. It showed that, while the Americans are still as deceived by selfish capitalism as ever (Tea Party Republicans to a crazy extent), on nearly every issue we are finally much closer to mainland Europe, ideologically. | But Monday's report of findings from the YouGov survey offered persuasive evidence that the British population is finally turning away from the greed is good, selfish individualism that Thatcherism and Blatcherism engendered. It showed that, while the Americans are still as deceived by selfish capitalism as ever (Tea Party Republicans to a crazy extent), on nearly every issue we are finally much closer to mainland Europe, ideologically. |
| Whether it be helping the poor to get work, willingness to pay tax for better public services, hostility to massive pay for CEOs, state redistribution of wealth, the idea of a New Deal policy to renew the economy or equal opportunities for rich and poor children, we are much nearer to the Germans or French than to Americans. | Whether it be helping the poor to get work, willingness to pay tax for better public services, hostility to massive pay for CEOs, state redistribution of wealth, the idea of a New Deal policy to renew the economy or equal opportunities for rich and poor children, we are much nearer to the Germans or French than to Americans. |
| The really interesting question is whether, how and when this shift in the population's attitudes will express itself. If the Eds (Miliband and Balls) do not start to call for a radical shift in policy – and let us not forget that the Labour frontbench is still riddled with Blatcherites – then there will be no real alternative at the next election. There will be a collapse in democracy, a serious disconnect between a Thatcher-pickled, selfish , stinking rich ruling elite and everyone else. What are the psychological conditions for this to change? | The really interesting question is whether, how and when this shift in the population's attitudes will express itself. If the Eds (Miliband and Balls) do not start to call for a radical shift in policy – and let us not forget that the Labour frontbench is still riddled with Blatcherites – then there will be no real alternative at the next election. There will be a collapse in democracy, a serious disconnect between a Thatcher-pickled, selfish , stinking rich ruling elite and everyone else. What are the psychological conditions for this to change? |
| Relative deprivation theory proposes the following. For an "up with this we will not put" overthrow of the existing order, akin to what happened in the Soviet Union in 1989, five conditions are needed: wanting something (whether it be a pay rise or a new order); seeing that someone else possesses it (eg the Danes, with their 35-hour weeks, eco-friendly industrial base and redistributed wealth); feeling entitled to it; feasibility that you could obtain it; and the absence of a sense that it's your fault that you do not yet have it. | Relative deprivation theory proposes the following. For an "up with this we will not put" overthrow of the existing order, akin to what happened in the Soviet Union in 1989, five conditions are needed: wanting something (whether it be a pay rise or a new order); seeing that someone else possesses it (eg the Danes, with their 35-hour weeks, eco-friendly industrial base and redistributed wealth); feeling entitled to it; feasibility that you could obtain it; and the absence of a sense that it's your fault that you do not yet have it. |
| If a person passes through the first four stages but not the last, they are liable to self-blame. This has been the depressed, introverted, "look after number one" mentality which has ruled for 30 years. It has meant that, like Americans, we suffer twice the rate of mental illness of mainland Europe. | If a person passes through the first four stages but not the last, they are liable to self-blame. This has been the depressed, introverted, "look after number one" mentality which has ruled for 30 years. It has meant that, like Americans, we suffer twice the rate of mental illness of mainland Europe. |
| But when enough people pass through the last stage and, for example, begin to blame their ruling elite for their problems, 1989-like weird political shit can start happening. The YouGov-Cambridge survey may be a sign it's on the way. | But when enough people pass through the last stage and, for example, begin to blame their ruling elite for their problems, 1989-like weird political shit can start happening. The YouGov-Cambridge survey may be a sign it's on the way. |
| Instead of being duped by the Tories' claptrap about the debt being caused by public spending, we are in favour of redistributing wealth and work, and a lot of state intervention. Instead of blaming ourselves for low pay and long hours, we may be realising that economic meltdown (combined with climate change) heralds a much more sustainable low-growth future – vastly preferable in every way, with "shop till you drop", credit-fuelled consumer junkies a thing of the past. | Instead of being duped by the Tories' claptrap about the debt being caused by public spending, we are in favour of redistributing wealth and work, and a lot of state intervention. Instead of blaming ourselves for low pay and long hours, we may be realising that economic meltdown (combined with climate change) heralds a much more sustainable low-growth future – vastly preferable in every way, with "shop till you drop", credit-fuelled consumer junkies a thing of the past. |
| No one predicted the demise of the Soviet Union. If that could happen, so could an end to the "greed and growth is good" society. | No one predicted the demise of the Soviet Union. If that could happen, so could an end to the "greed and growth is good" society. |