Sunday, 11 September 2011
11th September 2001
Jan and I were in Hawaii on this day and were woken up by Laura telling us to turn on the TV. Terrible images and a terrible aftermath. I'm not going to dwell on any aspect of it other than to acknowledge the anniversary.
Saturday, 10 September 2011
From Neil Kinnock to the French Revolution via D.Ream
A strange title, perhaps, but bear with me as I string my thoughts together.
In my last blog, I mentioned Neil Kinnock. After I'd written that piece, I could not stop myself from whistling (both mentally and actual) that sublimely irritating song of D.Ream 'Things can only get better'. I think the connection with Neil Kinnock was themes used as political slogans. As any political pedant will know, the connection of that song with Neil Kinnock is spurious, as it was used in the 1997 General Election by Tony Blair and his cohorts.
Be that as it may, my mind wandered further and I started musing on a number of other political slogans. A few of the ones I could recall (in no particular order) are: 'You've never had it so good', 'Labour isn't working', 'Beef and Beer for all', 'Power to the People', 'Long live the Revolution', 'Better dead than red', 'Are you thinking what we're thinking?', 'Labour's tax bombshell'....and there are lots more. What struck me is how inane and empty they all are. Hardly battle cries that would inspire me to take to the metaphorical barricades.
That set me wondering whether there was any political slogan that did stand the test of time and actually meant something. Almost immediately, three words came to me: Liberty, Egality, Fraternity.
The demand for 'liberty, equality (egality) and fraternity' during the French Revolution resonates with many of the points I have previously alluded to. The more I pondered on this slogan, the more relevant it seemed. It strikes me that it focuses attention on dimensions of social relations which matter most if we are to see a better society and see a difference to the real quality of our lives.
At the time, 'Liberty' meant not being subvervient or beholden to the feudal nobility and landed aristocracy. We can bring this up-to-date and say that we don't want to be, and should not be, subservient or beholden to the interests of large corporations, banks or any institution motivated purely by profits.
'Fraternity' reflected a desire for greater mutuality and reciprocity in social relations. Nowadays we raise exactly the same issues when we talk about community, social cohesion and, how I hate to quote Posh-boy Dave, the Big Society. Time and time again, research shows the importance of community to many facets of human wellbeing.
'Equality' meant a levelling of the gross inequalities between those at the top and those at the bottom of pre-revolutionary France. Liberty and Fraternity cannot happen without 'Equality', which is prerequisite for getting them right. Not only do large inequalities produce many (all?) of the problems caused by social differences and the divisive class prejudices which go with them, they also weaken many aspects of community life. Against what is emerging under the Con-Lib Coalition, how hollow sounds the slogan 'we are all in this together'. How rich sounds the slogan ' Liberty, Fraternity and Equality'. Where is the politician who will take up the challenge and use this slogan as their rallying call? Answers on a postcard to.........
In my last blog, I mentioned Neil Kinnock. After I'd written that piece, I could not stop myself from whistling (both mentally and actual) that sublimely irritating song of D.Ream 'Things can only get better'. I think the connection with Neil Kinnock was themes used as political slogans. As any political pedant will know, the connection of that song with Neil Kinnock is spurious, as it was used in the 1997 General Election by Tony Blair and his cohorts.
Be that as it may, my mind wandered further and I started musing on a number of other political slogans. A few of the ones I could recall (in no particular order) are: 'You've never had it so good', 'Labour isn't working', 'Beef and Beer for all', 'Power to the People', 'Long live the Revolution', 'Better dead than red', 'Are you thinking what we're thinking?', 'Labour's tax bombshell'....and there are lots more. What struck me is how inane and empty they all are. Hardly battle cries that would inspire me to take to the metaphorical barricades.
That set me wondering whether there was any political slogan that did stand the test of time and actually meant something. Almost immediately, three words came to me: Liberty, Egality, Fraternity.
The demand for 'liberty, equality (egality) and fraternity' during the French Revolution resonates with many of the points I have previously alluded to. The more I pondered on this slogan, the more relevant it seemed. It strikes me that it focuses attention on dimensions of social relations which matter most if we are to see a better society and see a difference to the real quality of our lives.
At the time, 'Liberty' meant not being subvervient or beholden to the feudal nobility and landed aristocracy. We can bring this up-to-date and say that we don't want to be, and should not be, subservient or beholden to the interests of large corporations, banks or any institution motivated purely by profits.
'Fraternity' reflected a desire for greater mutuality and reciprocity in social relations. Nowadays we raise exactly the same issues when we talk about community, social cohesion and, how I hate to quote Posh-boy Dave, the Big Society. Time and time again, research shows the importance of community to many facets of human wellbeing.
'Equality' meant a levelling of the gross inequalities between those at the top and those at the bottom of pre-revolutionary France. Liberty and Fraternity cannot happen without 'Equality', which is prerequisite for getting them right. Not only do large inequalities produce many (all?) of the problems caused by social differences and the divisive class prejudices which go with them, they also weaken many aspects of community life. Against what is emerging under the Con-Lib Coalition, how hollow sounds the slogan 'we are all in this together'. How rich sounds the slogan ' Liberty, Fraternity and Equality'. Where is the politician who will take up the challenge and use this slogan as their rallying call? Answers on a postcard to.........
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