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So we’re having that very regular @TheGreenParty debate as to whether we’re a left wing party or not.
Hold on I have thoughts (1/?)
Hold on I have thoughts (1/?)
Right. So we’re talking about the economic spectrum here.
Let’s look at our policy book:
Tax the wealthy
Tax corporations
Economic redistribution
Support welfare state
Support rights of trade unions
Oppose austerity
Oppose privatisation
Let’s look at our policy book:
Tax the wealthy Tax corporations Economic redistribution Support welfare state Support rights of trade unions Oppose austerity Oppose privatisation
Unless you remove those policies the media is going to label us as left wing.
We can waste breath denying it - but frankly what’s the point?
It’s a list of policies associated with the left for as long as the left has existed.
We can waste breath denying it - but frankly what’s the point?
It’s a list of policies associated with the left for as long as the left has existed.
Indeed there’s a broad public support for policies seen as “left wing”
Tax the wealthy? Popular!
Nationalised services? Supported!
Reign the corporations? Backed!
Tax the wealthy? Popular!
Nationalised services? Supported!
Reign the corporations? Backed!
One of the biggest successes of the extreme right has been getting their policies seen as COMMON SENSE
One of the failings of the left has been having policies labelled as unrealistic & far fetched
A combination of the media and centrism has limited our collective imagination
One of the failings of the left has been having policies labelled as unrealistic & far fetched
A combination of the media and centrism has limited our collective imagination
But the Green response to this challenge has been just as lacklustre
Many Green Parties have popularised the term “Neither left, nor right” & tried to popularise our politics as “beyond the spectrum”
I’ve always seen that as
a) awful framing
b) narcissistic
c) doomed to fail
Many Green Parties have popularised the term “Neither left, nor right” & tried to popularise our politics as “beyond the spectrum”
I’ve always seen that as
a) awful framing
b) narcissistic
c) doomed to fail
A) defining yourself as what you’re not is awful awful framing
Telling both the voters that think of themselves as left and the voters that think of themselves as right that you’re not for them? Well that’s daft.
And if you think left-right framing is old hat - why mention it!
Telling both the voters that think of themselves as left and the voters that think of themselves as right that you’re not for them? Well that’s daft.
And if you think left-right framing is old hat - why mention it!
B) We can pretend the left-right spectrum is old hat.
And indeed many don’t identify with it or understand it anymore.
But it’s the spectrum commentators, the media and even Wikipedia views the world through
And indeed many don’t identify with it or understand it anymore.
But it’s the spectrum commentators, the media and even Wikipedia views the world through
Would I put “left wing values” on a leaflet? No
Would I spend time loudly telling people that we are left wing/not left wing? Also no.
If asked or pushed to define as a party somewhere on the spectrum - would I say left? Yes, obviously
Would I spend time loudly telling people that we are left wing/not left wing? Also no.
If asked or pushed to define as a party somewhere on the spectrum - would I say left? Yes, obviously
I am frustrated that those who want us to “move beyond the political spectrum” spend as much time bringing it up as anyone else!
Largely I feel we all agree on our policies. They are what they are
We’ve all got to work together to get them to seem as the common sense option
Largely I feel we all agree on our policies. They are what they are
We’ve all got to work together to get them to seem as the common sense option
& to my colleagues on the left. I think we can do better with our own messaging
Quite often left/socialist is used as lazy shorthand
We want the wealthy to pay a fair share
We want corporations to stop destroying the planet
Those are statements anyone will find hard to deny
Quite often left/socialist is used as lazy shorthand
We want the wealthy to pay a fair share
We want corporations to stop destroying the planet
Those are statements anyone will find hard to deny
