Will a time come again for 'radical' left candidates?
Both Jeremy Corbyn and Bernie Sanders have suffered major defeats in their respective countries and neither will end up leading them.
Perhaps what is most remarkable though is that either got as far as they did, given 'conventional' political wisdom. Did an angry old man who calls himself a socialist really (twice) finish a strong second in his party's primary process... in America of all places? Did a second level player from Labour's 80s Bennite days really lead the post-Blair party and get close to actually forming a government in 2017? Both of these things did happen and I think they might just be a sign of things to come.
While both these men have failed to win enough electoral support to take power, they have at least succeeded in changing the conversation. Nationalisations, more public spending and free education are now mainstream issues in British politics. I believe its the same in America with Single-Payer healthcare. This is after years of being told by very sensible people that these ideas were radical left issues from the distant past so why dont we talk about something serious?
Where Corbynism failed is that it lacked any kind of insititutional support. After years of being marginalised, the left had few voices in the media or within politics which were not openly hostile. As part of the process, a new left media has emerged online and several left mps have been elected but this is only strength at the fringes and it was built from a low base. By that, i mean its all been built from nothing because people assumed the country had no political left at all.
The Labour Party has now elected Keir Starmer as a leader and moved back closer to the political centre, though that political centre is now arguably a bit further to the left as a legacy of Corbynism. I'll stay in the party and campaign for Keir because he is decent, without giving me close to everything i want.
I think the greater success of the Corbyn legacy could be years in the future though. Young people have moved to the left in unprecedented numbers anyway and in time could form a plurality of the electorate. In the mean time, the left needs to build its institutional strength: in unions, the media, in communities and in the party proper.
The current capitalist order is in crisis and was in crisis long before the virus hit. Centrists dont have solutions so unless ideas come from the left, the longterm victors will be the nationalist right. I dont wanna live in Oban's Hungary or on Ayn Rand island but these things are possible as the right tries to shape solutions to crisis with their own narrative.
There will be difficult times ahead. We lost the battle but, just perhaps, our time will come again.
Perhaps what is most remarkable though is that either got as far as they did, given 'conventional' political wisdom. Did an angry old man who calls himself a socialist really (twice) finish a strong second in his party's primary process... in America of all places? Did a second level player from Labour's 80s Bennite days really lead the post-Blair party and get close to actually forming a government in 2017? Both of these things did happen and I think they might just be a sign of things to come.
While both these men have failed to win enough electoral support to take power, they have at least succeeded in changing the conversation. Nationalisations, more public spending and free education are now mainstream issues in British politics. I believe its the same in America with Single-Payer healthcare. This is after years of being told by very sensible people that these ideas were radical left issues from the distant past so why dont we talk about something serious?
Where Corbynism failed is that it lacked any kind of insititutional support. After years of being marginalised, the left had few voices in the media or within politics which were not openly hostile. As part of the process, a new left media has emerged online and several left mps have been elected but this is only strength at the fringes and it was built from a low base. By that, i mean its all been built from nothing because people assumed the country had no political left at all.
The Labour Party has now elected Keir Starmer as a leader and moved back closer to the political centre, though that political centre is now arguably a bit further to the left as a legacy of Corbynism. I'll stay in the party and campaign for Keir because he is decent, without giving me close to everything i want.
I think the greater success of the Corbyn legacy could be years in the future though. Young people have moved to the left in unprecedented numbers anyway and in time could form a plurality of the electorate. In the mean time, the left needs to build its institutional strength: in unions, the media, in communities and in the party proper.
The current capitalist order is in crisis and was in crisis long before the virus hit. Centrists dont have solutions so unless ideas come from the left, the longterm victors will be the nationalist right. I dont wanna live in Oban's Hungary or on Ayn Rand island but these things are possible as the right tries to shape solutions to crisis with their own narrative.
There will be difficult times ahead. We lost the battle but, just perhaps, our time will come again.
41-45, M
