The Ideological Connection: Party ideologies & what they stand (or stood) for

Reminders: Paper topics due Tuesday, February 3rd Paper topics due Tuesday, February 3rd These should contain: These should contain: A brief statement of the topic as you propose to define it A brief statement of the topic as you propose to define it A preliminary bibliography of sources you are likely to use A preliminary bibliography of sources you are likely to use Including a brief annotation of what you expect to find in them or how you expect to use them Including a brief annotation of what you expect to find in them or how you expect to use them

Recap: Ways of distinguishing parties: Size or strength Size or strength Role Role By their ideology or ideological family By their ideology or ideological family By the ways in which they are organized By the ways in which they are organized

The European Experience: Ideological families: Socialism (including Communism, Socialism and Social Democracy) Socialism (including Communism, Socialism and Social Democracy) Christian Democracy Christian Democracy Liberalism Liberalism Conservatism Conservatism

The Party Spectrum Today (ex-)Communists (ex-)Communists Greens, left-libertarians Greens, left-libertarians Social Democracy Social Democracy Christian Democracy Christian Democracy Liberalism (Radicalism) Liberalism (Radicalism) Conservatism Conservatism The new right The new right

How strong is the ideological connection? Should we think of parties as members of ideological families? Should we think of parties as members of ideological families? If so, are parties If so, are parties carriers of political ideologies? carriers of political ideologies?OR bearers of ideological labels? bearers of ideological labels?

What is a political ideology? A political ideology is a a set of beliefs A political ideology is a a set of beliefs more or less constrained or inter-related more or less constrained or inter-related about society, economy & what has been or can be achieved through politics about society, economy & what has been or can be achieved through politics Typical components: Typical components: Rights and duties Rights and duties View of the economy View of the economy A vision of the future A vision of the future

Specificity & constraint However, ideologies vary: However, ideologies vary: Some are more clearly stated than others: Some are more clearly stated than others: e.g. Socialism, Communism, classical liberalism e.g. Socialism, Communism, classical liberalism Others are less clearly defined: Others are less clearly defined: Conservatism Conservatism Some variants of Christian Democracy Some variants of Christian Democracy Populism Populism The contemporary new right The contemporary new right

Conservatism What is Conservatism? What is Conservatism? Conservatism according to Sir Edmund Burke Conservatism according to Sir Edmund Burke Conservatism in practice: Conservatism in practice: One nation conservatism in the UK One nation conservatism in the UK Thatcherism Thatcherism Social v. fiscal conservatism Social v. fiscal conservatism

Christian Democracy Origins: Origins: Response to godless Communism? Response to godless Communism? Response to “the social question” Response to “the social question” Characteristics: Characteristics: Wholistic or organic world-view: see society as a fabric, with upper and lower strata Wholistic or organic world-view: see society as a fabric, with upper and lower strata Centre-right v. centre-left variants Centre-right v. centre-left variants Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Austria Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Austria

Liberalism What is it about? What is it about? Classical v. ‘reform’ liberalism Classical v. ‘reform’ liberalism The government which governs least governs best v. The government which governs least governs best v. state intervention to ensure equal rights, equal opportunity state intervention to ensure equal rights, equal opportunity American usage American usage Thatcherism Thatcherism

Ideological change Do parties today stand for the same things that they stood for years ago? Do parties today stand for the same things that they stood for years ago? Suppositions: Suppositions: There has been a decline or disappearance of political ideology (end of ideology thesis) There has been a decline or disappearance of political ideology (end of ideology thesis) vs. vs. Ideological change: parties retain earlier commitments, but their understanding of what can be done and how it should be done has changed Ideological change: parties retain earlier commitments, but their understanding of what can be done and how it should be done has changed Or no change at all? Or no change at all?

Socialism, social democracy & Communism Origins: Marx and non-Marxist Origins: Marx and non-Marxist Early socialism: orthodoxy Early socialism: orthodoxy 19 & 20 th century splits 19 & 20 th century splits Revisionism and social democracy Revisionism and social democracy Democratic socialism & socialism Democratic socialism & socialism Communism Communism

What divides them? Strategy and tactics: What do you do while you wait for an inevitable revolution? What do you do while you wait for an inevitable revolution? Can you involuntarily push history along? Can you involuntarily push history along? Can you achieve socialism via the ballot box and parliamentary democracy? Can you achieve socialism via the ballot box and parliamentary democracy? How much public ownership of the means of production? How much public ownership of the means of production?

Social Democracy today: What is left of the left? Building socialism or managing capitalism? Building socialism or managing capitalism? Backing off from public ownership Backing off from public ownership The Keynsian welfare state: The Keynsian welfare state: Managing the welfare state Managing the welfare state Full employment Full employment Generous safety net – insurance against risks of life in industrial and/or capitalist economies Generous safety net – insurance against risks of life in industrial and/or capitalist economies The cold war and its impact The cold war and its impact

Third way politics Tony Blair’s New Labour Party Tony Blair’s New Labour Party Old v New Labour Old v New Labour More links with capital – e.g. public-private partnerships More links with capital – e.g. public-private partnerships Tougher stance on the administration of justice Tougher stance on the administration of justice The SPD in Germany The SPD in Germany The PvdA (Dutch Social Democrats) The PvdA (Dutch Social Democrats) Social Democracy today?

Other party families Do green or left liberatian parties share a common ideology set of beliefs? Do green or left liberatian parties share a common ideology set of beliefs? Do new right (sometimes called new right populist) parties share a common ideology or set of beliefs? Do new right (sometimes called new right populist) parties share a common ideology or set of beliefs?