Generation Right is Actually Generation South of the Political Equator : Politics for the Next Generation

Radio 4 broadcast a very insightful documentary on 16th June 2014 called Generation Right which took the view that young people today have become very right wing and (as was suggested by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown) very selfish.
I felt that the programme did very well in describing how young people felt about a number of issues including the welfare state. However, it did less well in describing the new political orientation.
It stated that young people had become right wing about economic issues but paradoxically, very left wing about social issues. They were extremely liberal about rights of gay people and relaxed about immigration but at the same time holding more traditional views about economics and welfare. The fact that this is seen as paradoxical is illustrative of the limitations in British political discourse and the fact that our existing main political parties are laden down with traditions which make it difficult for them to respond to changes in attitudes. That is why there is seemingly apathy about young people in elections. They feel that none of the main political phiosoiphies really connect with them and they want to do, in the words of one of the young people in the programme, is mix and match different viewpoints on different issues. The sort of Parliamentary democracy which we have now is simply not flexible enough to allow young peoople to express their views on important issues and the political parties are past their sell by date. Young people who are used to structuring their own relationship with media and social networks find this form of politics to be leaden and impenetrable. 
Part of the inadequacy of our political discourse is shown by the fact that the programme tried to place the young people onto left or right dimension of the political spectrum. If you go to the website Political Compass you will find that politics can be more accurately charted on two dimensions. One dimension is the right  v left positions. The other dimension is authoritarian v libertarian. It is possible to be libertarian and at the the same time be either left wing oir right wing. Libertarianism is often characterized by very liberal social views and free market views on economics. The constant is a belief in free choice and being against state coercion- either of individuals or other societies or countries. One recent historical event, not discussed in the programme which may have swung the pendulum towards a more libertarian position was the Iraq war. This war was a very clear defeat for the idea that the state is all powerful and always able to improve people's lives using its strength. Not even the full might of the U.S. and U.K. military forces have been able to reshape a whole country and bring a new peace and democracy. In fact, state intervention in Iraq has, in many people's opinion made things markedly worse for these people.  It is a very strong indication that state meddling does not nhecessarliy make things better and it is also a significant blow toi the moral authority of Governments.
Traditionally in the U.K. our political parties on the right and left have been authoritarian in nature. They have tried to shape the country through cultural mechanisms such as the BBC (which was about culturally enriching the nation), subsequently through lots of regulation and health and safety legislation, and more recently through Nudge (which is a sort of psychological form of soft coercion). The idea that individuals and communities can make up their own minds and make good choices themselves has never really taken hold with our politicians.
The young people of today, however, are shaping their own social and cultural worlds through the internet and new technologoes. Ideas can take shape and take hold quickly and spontaneously. Young peoople want freedom to make decisions about how they see things through their own individual cultural and social lens. They make common cause with one group or issue at one moment and with other people and issues at other times. This is not necessarily driven by a traditional political perspectyive or a coherent phiulosophy. In an age of remixing and sampling- Why should it be?
The lessons from these changes for U.K. politics are in my opinioin quite profound.
Firstly young people are much more libertarian. Rather than just seeing this is negative or a rejection of collectivism- politicians on the liberal spectrum should be celebrating the fact that they have very liberal and tolerant views on minorities and support the rights of different groups in societies to live their lives the way they want. In terms of promoting the need to help people who are economically disadvantaged - this might be better sold to young people on the basis of helping everyone in society to make a contribution rather than the traditional view of this as welfare.
 Young people are not becoming Conservatives. Conservatism is associated with old fashioned values which they do not relate to.This means that people on the left who are concerned about social issues may be better off appealing to a bleeding heart libertarianism rather than a traditional left wing perspective. For those on the political right, they are only going to get young votes by advocating for a less controlling and judgmental society and developing more liberal policies in issues such as legislation of recreational drugs.
What all this means for right and left is that it means listening to young people first and foremost rather than castigating them or labeling them as selfish.
It means offering new political perspectives which incorporate a more libertaian outlook -and no that does not equate to selfishness- whatever John Monboit thinks. It also means a more pragmatic and atheoretical politics.
It also means we need to rethink how our democratic processes work. Young people are dissatisfied with having to just elect one party into Government for 5 years. It requires us to give citizens a chance to involve themselves in decisions about how the country is run on a more regular basis. This ought to be possible with the fantastic technology which we now have. The internet offers us the chance to collect the views and opinions of the whole wired community almost instantaneously. There is no excuse for Government not being connected to the public.   In the days of instant messaging, young people are probably not prepared to wait 5 years to influence Government policy.
We need real change in how politics work and also in the menu of political choices offered to yoiun g people if we are going to engage them in politics again.
First stage is going to be listening to them in a non-judgemental way. The Radio 4 Programme was a good start.
   

Labour Must Fight Racism to Win the Election, not Appease Racists

I'm not a politician but I reckon I'm right about one thing. If you want to win a political fight the only way you can do this is to set the agenda rather than react to it. I also feel very strongly that you can't  defeat bad attitudes by playing along with them. 
Ed Balls apparently thinks differently. He thinks that to fight the UKIP menace Labour needs to start addressing peoples fears about immigration. This is in line with a wider message we seem to be getting fed by the media that says that the major political parties do not understand or engage with people's 'legitimate' fears about immigration. Personally I think the Balls strategy is all wrong and that the general media are feeding the anti-EU and anti-immigration frenzy which is being whipped up by UKIP, BNP and all the other xenophobic parties which appeared on the recent ballot.
If Labour want to win at the polls they need to have the courage to believe in something positive  and have faith that the public  will respond to good political debate and rhetoric. Labour need to stand for something different if they want to inspire the public to vote for them. They need to stop colluding with he idea that it is poor people from other countries who are causing them misery. They need to tell the public the truth about the financial crisis and  the dangers of unrestrained financial markets. They need to tell the truth about how good public services cost money rather than trying to flog more PFIs and the like.
Labour needs to sell itself as a party with a vision of something better- not Tory-lite or UKIP-lite but something much better that can give ordinary people hope.
There's still a year to turn this around.  

What if....Todd Rundgren was MC for Mrs Thatcher's Funeral

Monday 8^th April  marked the release of Todd Rundgren's latest album State and of course the death of a certain person. In view of Mrs Thatcher's views about the state I took this as a sign that I should think about what a playlist might be if Todd was asked to MC this upcoming event. Unfortunately his 'State Visit' to the UK is not for another couple of months so he will not be able to perform this function. However, due to the wonders of digital recording all we need is a docked iPod and a sound system to make your ears bleed.

Some people might see Billy Bragg as a more suitable performer for this occasion or The Jam. However, I think that would be a bit obvious and anyway I can't stand them. This is fantasy playlist for an aging progger as the best way of paying his last disrespects.

Track 1 Swing To the Right.

This song was written at the height of Reaganomics and sums up flavour of the politics of the Thatcher/Reagan right wing love in. 'Excuse me for living but I got my own worries- Like staying fat'.

Track 2 Bag Lady.

This is a pun for the playlist. On one hand it references Mrs Thatcher's handbagging of Europe. On the other hand it is a song about poverty and how the poor and homeless get ignored. During Thatcher's reign I lived in Bristol and I saw lots of mentally ill people living out on the streets as a result of psychiatric hospitals being closed without community provision being made. Homelessness and destitution became really common during the early eighties and sights of people in cardboard boxes became common.

Track 3 Johnee Jingo.   

  This is a song about people being conscripted to the army to fight on wars and ow it justified by flag waving a patriotism.

'To the man who owns the land  

We're all the same

But when his grip begins to slip
Then he'll be calling out your name
Johnee jingo
And the throne, the pulpit and the politician
Create a thirst for power in the common man
It's a taste for blood passed off as bravery
Or just patriotism hiding bigotry.'

I think these last two lines sum up the jingoism about the Argentinians around the Falklands war and how Thatcher boosted her popularity through sending soldiers off to shoot young conscripts in the name of a bleak piece of rock and how the tabloids sold loads of copies off the back of it.
Two lines of the chorus sum up how many people felt about it who said 'Not in my name'.
'Jingo don't you fight for me.
Jingo don't you speak for me.'

Track 4 Mammon.     

 A good stirring number. The target of this song is right wing Pastors. However, I think it could easily be applied to Mrs T. Although not a religious person I was disgusted that she quoted St Francis of Assisi and spoke in churches about inflation being a sin etc.
The line 'Your God is Mammon. Your God is dead.' This could be applied to Thatcher herself  in as much as the holy grail of the banking industry has turned out to be sham of smoke and mirrors. Or it could be applied to the people who idolise Thatcher.

Track 5. Honest Work.  

This is the most powerful and poignant track of all. It is about the fate of people who were thrown out of work in traditional industries in the name of modernising economies.
'I'm not afraid to bend my back
I'm not afraid of dirt
But how I fear the things I do
For lack of honest work
My family is lost to me
They could not bear the hurt
To see the state their boy is in
For lack of honest work.........
Captains of industry
Have visions and great designs

But none have room for me........

I know I’m not the only one to fall beneath the wheel

Such company cannot assuage the loneliness I feel

So many as resigned to be

Society’s debris

But I will be remembered for

The life life took from me’

I heard a man on radio 4 today talking about how he had lost his job, his home and his family as a direct result of Thatcher’s policies. This happened to whole communities in the North under Thatcher  and she showed no compassion for those people or communities. They were not even collateral damage. She seemed to relish it. It was deemed as tough but necessary medicine for people who had become complacent and dependent on union restrictive practices.   Many would agree that working practices in the UK had to change but it could have been done in a less heartless way.

Track 6 Strike.

A rousing number to unite people and remind us that a general strike could have unseated Thatcher and it could be an antidote to the worst excesses of the coalition. Every time Todd cries ‘Strike!’ the audience shout back Strike! and raise their arms.

Track 7 Who’s Sorry Now

‘Don’t surround your heart with hardness

You may someday need someone to sympathise

Before you’re crushed by your own selfishness

You must confess we are all in  

This together we....’

Speaks for itself. Thatcher’s self doctrine brought a callousness to the UK and broke down the social contract. However, ultimately we will all need other people just as Mrs T did when her health  failed her.

Track 8 Broke Down and Busted

That is the state of the country as a result of the Thatcher legacy. I never understood how banks, which don’t make anything could be seen as a major source of income generation without a healthy real economy to serve. I also couldn’t understand how service industries could be the dominant part of an economy without a manufacturing economy to serve. Or how housing could be a major asset in a country where people didn’t own much else or have the underlying wealth to pay for it.

Of course- it all turned out to be phony wealth built on easy credit and fiat money.

Track 9 Something in my Mouth

Hot off the presses from State-released this week.

‘Might be a word

Might be a kiss

There is something in my mouth

Something in my mouth for you’

Todd doesn’t say what the something is but in the case of Mrs T then for a lot of people its likely to be something you might get from the mouth of camel, a llama or a heavy smoker. So hum this pleasant ditty and use your imagination.

Track 10 Compassion

‘You’ll get no judgement from me

I can only feel compassion’.

This is a really inspirational song and preaches non-judgementalism and good will towards all beings. It seems to express the Buddhist concept of compassion and is a feeling I ought be experiencing but even to Mrs T but I am finding it really hard. Maybe Todd can move the crowd to put all our bitterness aside. It is hard especially with someone who seemed to despise kindness towards the weak.

Track 11 Love is the Answer

A real crowd pleaser and an ever popular encore song.  And for everyone present, a real antidote to Thatcherism.  

Todd Rundgren comes to the UK in June. Gigs include The Sage in Gateshead and venues in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Manchester and other cities.

His extensive back catalogue is available as CDs or downloads from Amazon and other distributers.