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Next Left: where next for social democracy? The new policy agenda

Next Left Conference, Barcelona

Patrick Diamond Policy Network and University of Oxford

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Social democracy faces testing times in Europe and elsewhere:

Worst European election result since 1979 • Social democracy defeated in Scandinavia • Centre-left collapse in Eastern and Central Europe • Historic defeats in Britain and Germany: lowest vote share since 1918

No centre-left recovery despite banking crisis, global recession, rising unemployment - now the social model is under threat

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The pessimism about the centre left’s prospects can be overdone:

Politics of despair: 2000s wasted decade in which social democracy acquiesced to neo-liberalism Politics of nostalgia: 1945 70 ‘golden age’ for social democracy in which new welfare settlement was forged • Exaggerates success of neo-liberalism over last twenty years, and overestimates success of post-war social democracy

Should build on, not reject, third way ‘Neue Mitte’ while adjusting to challenges of the present

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Third way model of social democracy:

Dynamic knowledge-based economy Strong civil society and public services Modern government focused on partnership and decentralisation Foreign policy through international co-operation

1990s period of relative calm and optimism in domestic and global affairs

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What is social democracy?

Set of practices focused on redistribution, market regulation and social welfare A persuasion not a fixed doctrine Political approach built on security, fairness and co-operation Social democracy has initiated institutional reform and reinvention in the past

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The challenges of the present:

Twin crises: banking and budgetary shocks Politics of austerity and fairness Rise in scepticism about climate change Demography and population ageing Quality of life, work/life balance, well-being, family European integration and enlargement

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Next Left Conference, Barcelona

Next Left Conference, Barcelona

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Is there a new idea for the left?

To conserve and protect the existing welfare state (Judt) To promote greater economic equality (Wilkinson and Pickett) To revive Keynesianism in the wake of the crisis (Desai) To identify new sources of sustainability after capitalism (Nahles)

Does this match up to the scale of the human crisis the world faces?

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A new politics and a new relationship between the state and citizens:

The right want the crisis to undermine the state; left must change its role and direction The state will increasingly need to share responsibility with citizens [co-production, cost-sharing, lifestyle management, conditionality] Less focus on the state as provider Politics itself will need to acknowledge intractable dilemmas and trade-offs Revival of global institutions and global civil society

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Concluding remarks:

Social democracy isn’t dead Need to re-examine common principles that define it About particular approach to politics, as much as new instruments and governing programmes New wave of social

democracy

: drawing on rich inheritance of ideologies, ideas and institutions

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