Editorial note: If you have not yet read our mission statement above, please do so in order that you can put our blogs in context. 

11 October 2012

The policy differences between the two main political parties that alternate in power in so-called western democracies are negligible where they are not non-existent.

This is a fact that Antigone1984 has highlighted repeatedly.

The evidence for it is overwhelming. Take Britain, for instance, where the ruling Tory Party ousted the Labour Party from power in 2010.

Here is a snippet from a political report by Jonathan Freedland in today’s London Guardian:

“[The Labour] party has been hesitant on education and welfare, unsure whether to oppose government reforms or back them as completing a job Blair started.”

The welfare changes referred to involve sending the sick and disabled back to work. The educational changes involve privatising state education.

Both of these changes – they can hardly be described as “reforms” – were initiated by former Labour Prime Minister Anthony Blair (often referred to as “Blurr” by Antigone1984 since he jibbed at straight talking, preferring to use vague and abstract language that was content-free).

So you can see the dilemma for the Labour Party.

Since it is the main opposition party, its role is to oppose the government.

However, how can it oppose the government if the government is simply carrying forward – as is the case  – regressive changes initiated by the egregious Blurr, its former leader.

However, this problem is not limited to welfare and education. There is hardly a government policy that Labour would not itself be implementing were it in power.

Which is why Labour faces an impossible task as it seeks to differentiate itself from the Tory Government in the eyes of the electorate.

[This subject is discussed further in our post “Partitocracy v. Democracy”, which can be accessed by clicking on item 2 below]

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You might perhaps care to view some of our earlier posts.  For instance:

1. Why? or How? That is the question (3 Jan 2012)

2. Partitocracy v. Democracy (20 July 2012)

3. The shoddiest possible goods at the highest possible prices (2 Feb 2012)

4. Capitalism in practice  (4 July 2012) To view this post, check out:       http://wp.me/p1UeCC-gZ

5.Ladder  (21 June 2012)

 6. A tale of two cities (1)  (6 June 2012) To view this post, check out:       http://wp.me/p1UeCC-f8

 7. A tale of two cities (2)  (7 June 2012) To view this post, check out:       http://wp.me/p1UeCC-ff

 8. Where’s the beef? Ontology and tinned meat (31 Jan 2012)

Every so often we shall change this sample of previously published posts.

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