Core Values And Ideas Of Labour Party Flashcards
What are the two divides in labour
- old Labour Party ran until 1990s
- new labour ran from early 1990s until the present
What is Old labour
- embodying nationalisation
- redistribution of wealth from rich to poor
- continually improving welfare state and state services
- reject free market
Why is old labour against free market ?
wages and benefits are determined by supply and demand, rather than government intervention. This means that employers can offer wages and benefits that reflect the value of the work being done, rather than basing off regulations for equality. Labour say this can lead to exploration
What is new labour/third way ?
Influenced by Anthony Giddens, third way saw labour shift in emphasis from a heavy focus on working class to a wider base and less alliance with trade union
Why did critics say that old labour behind socialist party is an illusion ?
Does not propose workers state and never attempts to abolish capitalism
What is old labour best to be understood as ?
Democratic socialist party
What is an first essential value of old labour ?
Equality
With old labour essential value being equality what did labour support to reduce inequality
Labour supported the redistribution of income to reduce the worse inequalities
According to the old labour values , what is a better creation of equality ?
Social justice
According to old labour values , what form of equality has labour always supported ?
Formal equality which is equal treatment under the law e.g labour plan for extension of equal pay protection
Old labour values
What type of equality did old labour champion ?
Equality of opportunity - the idea that all should have equal life chances no matter family background
What was the general idea shared by socialist old labour as their values
Collectivism - that our goals are best achieved collectively rather than individually e.g welfare state , trade union and common ownership run by state of behalf of the people and nationalisation of key industries
Old labour value
Old labour believes that what plays a key role in controlling economic activity and securing social goal
Central state
What is called when old labour believe that the central state plays a key role in controlling the economic activity and in securing social goals
Statism - responsible placed in hands of central state to ensure equality of treatment for all
Old labour policies and actions ?
- welfare state including NHS created in 1940s
- nationalisation and state control
- taxes on those with higher income to pay for welfare and income for poor
- equal pay for women introduced and discrimination against women and ethnic minorities outlawed 1960/70s
How long was Tony Blair in control of new labour
1994 to 2010
Who was the creator of the third way/new labour ?
Anthony Giddens
New labour values
What did new labour oppose ?
‘Hard-left’ in labour and sought to find a middle way (third way) between socialism and the free market, Neo liberal ideas of the conservatives party under Margret Thather
New labour values
Why did new labour thinkers reject socialist ideas of class conflict ?
Members of society have an equal right to assistance from the state
New labour values
What did new labour say accept was the best way of creating wealth so that market should remain largely free of state control ?
Capitalism
New labour values ,
Capitalism could operate against the interests of consumers so it should be what instead of controlled
Should be regulated
New labour values
The state should be what ?
Enabling state
New labour values
How the state be an enabling state ?
Allowing the economy to create wealth and giving it support when needed but state should not provide it
New labour values
What did new labour de- emphasise?
Collectivism and preferred individualism of human nature and achieving goals individually
New labour value
What equality did new labour stress and give an example ?
Equality of opportunity e.g education and welfare create opportunities to better themselves
New labour values
What was the new labour commited to ? And why ?
Political and constitutional reform , because UK was deeply undemocratic and rights inadequately protected
What three things did the new labour party reject as actions/policies
- refused trade union to have power back
- to bring privatised industries back under state control was restricted
- resisted temptation to restore high taxes on the wealthy and successful businesses to pay higher welfare
What 5 things did new labour political policies include
- Tony Blair speech “ask me my three main priorities in goverment : education, education, education” he wanted to invest and make education so good that divide of private and state school was no more
- no bosses vs workers all on the same side
- Huge increase expenditures on the NHS
- welfare to work system for employment
- constitutional reform: human right act, revolution
Factions within the Labour Party
What was the left of the Labour Party also known as
Democratic socialist /momentum
Labour Party and faction
What was the left democratic socialism policies
- Favour of high taxes and state playing role in the economy
- Jeremy Crobyn and momentum
What is the centre view of the Labour Party
- Keir starmer between far left and blairites so centralist
- legacy of Anthony Crosland idea is social justice: fair resources, privilege and opportunity and mixed economy : system of both socialism and capitalism
What is a mixed economy
some resources and businesses are privately owned while others are owned by the government, and both free markets and government
What is the right wing view of labour
- Blairites (legacy of new labour)
- more favour of free market solutions
- blue labour : socially conservatives , anti large scale immigration
Focused on working class issues and employment
