Issue #0

Ayes to the left

a future for socialism

Plot

While socialism has taken a battering in the last two decades, the new right's free market agenda has failed. New Labour is now at the centre of the political stage and under Tony Blair the Party has transformed itself in a spectacular way.But what does the left stand for today? Peter Hain, a leading figure in the discussions about the future of the Labour party, offers a new perspective.He advocates a modern, participatory socialism. Retaining key socialist commitments, to the redistribution of wealth, power and ownership, and to equality in health, education and welfare, he nevertheless rejects the centralisation and bureaucracy of old Labourism. Retrieving the neglected tradition of Libertarian Socialism, he argues for policies which empower ordinary citizens and thereby widen the basis of support for the left.Focusing upon economic policy, Europe, reform of the British state and the global economy, he concludes with a new strategy for Labour in government. The choice for Britain is stark, he insists: between a remorseless economic decline with social decay, and a new popular socialism.