Has British Politics Become More Centrist Since 1979 - Essay Example

HAS BRITISH POLITICS BECOME MORE CENTRIST SINCE 1979? IS THIS A GOOD OR A BAD THING? Has British politics become more centrist since 1979? Is this a good or a bad thing? Political centrism defines the tendency of enhancing political ideas and policies that lie to neither the political right nor left. As such, centrism acts as a middle ground between the extreme political right and left factions, and, therefore, does not align itself with any right or leftwing ideologies. In contrast with the set and normally followed norm, centrism presents the departure from the past traditions and focuses on the present, while considering the future. In most cases, centrism favors socio-economic liberalism as well as observance of human rights and progressive taxation (Jones 2003, p.7). Between the 1950s and mid 1970s, the British electorate laid their allegiances to either the Labour Party or Conservative Party. The two parties formed a-near-equal partnership in sharing of votes during polls (Parliam, 1982). The polls’ outcome relied on a small clique of voters (referred to as floating voters) who had no strong affiliation to either party. Switching of political sides was minimal. However, this has drastically changed, where, currently, none of the previously mentioned parties hold a commanding sway in the voting pattern. Thatcherism of early 1980s propagated centrism, or, as termed that time, center ground in British politics. The Labour Party then started to show a tendency to dominate British politics on the centre ground (Jones 2003, p.7). Neil Kinnock propagated centrist politics and John Smith strengthened it. Under the leadership of Tony Blair, the centrist politics got its apotheosis. Like Thatcherism, this political inclination continued to get expressed and take the form during Labour Party’s the early years. Through a series of speeches, Tony Blair tended to promote the ‘third way’ of governance. The third way defines centrist politics. According to Tony Blair’s Fabian Pamphlet of 1998, he defines the third way of governance as standing for a social democracy that exists in modernization, committed to social justice, flexible and innovative on the way to achieve political goals (Norris, 2011). He expresses the founding of the third way approach as being in tandem with liberty, democracy, justice, internationalism as well as mutual obligation, values that guide progressive politics. The ideological shift that occurred in the Labour Party included the position taken between the extreme right and left wings within the political spectrum. In the years 1992-1997, the Party took a left-aligned move in its policies based on its manifesto. This shift tended to promote the appeal that the party required to attain in the British electorate. In as much as this served as a marketing gimmick, it showed a departure from the extreme identification with either the left or right wing of politics (Norris, 2011). The occupancy of the political middle ground by the Labour Party through the 1992-1997 periods occurred through the unwillingness of the Conservative Party not to shift their political attitudes and policies. Further, the Conservatives offered no challenge and competition for the middle ground. This led to them losing ground and detaching themselves from the electorate. The failure to respond to the inclinations of the voters, and failure to shift political ideologies when encountered by electoral pressures, sent the support of the Conservative Party spiraling down. This promoted the waning of the Party influence, at the gain of the Labour Party (Norris, 2011). The promotion of centrist tendencies in the British arises from electoral competitions and need to seem relevant to the needs of the electorate (Budge 1987, p.8). As such, movement from right to left political spheres seems appropriate for a short while. While this serves a short-term satisfaction in the electorate, it propagates the need for middle ground in politics. Parties stand on policies and decisions they make, therefore, the need for ideological ownership dictates that, instead of right-left movement, the middle ground arise. The formation of coalition governments due to failure to get clear-cut election winners necessitates the sharing of ideologies (Budge, 1987). The coming together of two political parties, each founded on own ideologies and operated on own manifesto, dictate finding a middle ground in decision making matters. Since there exist no complete control of the government, sharing of ideas, policies and decision-making procedures promotes centrism. This comes to the fore due to the realization that the two parties forming the coalition are either lefties or righties. The needs of the country shift from one level to another, and, therefore, the needs are not static. The feeling that the country needs to run by fixed policies, principles and ideologies, face a real test of time due to the dynamism of politics and needs of the electorate. For the country to undergo development, the need to address current issues arises. The shift from rigid policies, to current policies promotes the addressing of current issues (Budge, 1987). The enhancement of this shift creates a thriving ground for centrism. The centrist lies between the reformist and revolutionist, as such; there exist a range of parameters that tend to overlap in the analysis of political situations. Considering the 1985 case of defeat of miners a shift to the right occurred, thereby enhancing the Kinnockite variety of politics, which tended to lie on the reformist side (Budge 1987, p.13). At the same time, there occurred a shift to the left, whereby those disgusted by the antics of the Labour Party and trade unions shifted. This contradiction also occurred within the party itself. The party members who did not support the decision by Kinnock did not necessarily dissent the party. However, they felt the party, as a whole, could do better. As such, a middle ground had to exist; hence centrism. The influence of the two major parties, the Conservative and the Labour Parties, tends to wane with time. The rise of the New Labour party tends to present a central ground in British politics (Budge, 1987). It partakes of slight ideas and principles from each of the two parties refine them and thereby come up with sound ideas. The involvement of the government with the unpopular Iraqi war further cemented the need for centrist thinking to stand up for the desires of the country, and not the select political elite. During the 2010 voting, David Cameron became prime minister of Britain. However, for the first time, the introduction of the coalition government meant that the Conservatives get involved in a coalition. This involvement last happened in the wartime era of all parties. This brought to the fore the need to formulate and implement ideas that stood for none of the coalition members, as parties, but for the good of the country (Budge 1987, p.19). The extreme nature of the two parties called for resolution of political differences and promises to work together. Most Britons tend to lie in the, independent centrist, wing of politics, but have not come out clear. Even the political parties retain their names as an identity rather than by practice of true principles guiding them (Thorpe, 1989). Most of the ideas they promote arise from the need from the electorate. They tend to formulate ideas and implement them to score higher points from the electorate than the opposing party. Most of these ideas arise from individuals who, being not sure about the strict nature of party principles, come up with them to supplement those of the party. Centrism offers a common ground for citizens and politicians to engage in activities together. This togetherness promotes the creation of solutions that resolve existing problems in a realistic and sensible manner (Thorpe, 1989). The participants get the feeling of being in charge of solving problems for their well-being, thereby boosting their self-esteem in matters political. In as much as most, people engage in different lines of thought, the integration of these ideas help create all-encompassing solutions. The support for centrism does not intend to term the other political parties as inappropriate. The, individual, political parties limit the thinking of the masses to a single preferred line of political thought (Norris 2011, p.11). These limits in lines of thought by the parties lock out other avenues of thought that the masses can exploit. In so doing, other channels that may give solutions to arising problems remain unexploited. As such, centrism seems more favorable in access of lines of thought and development of solutions. The ideas of Centrism revolve around independence and pragmatism in a positive manner (Norris, 2011). The ideas, options and political thinking of centrists remain open to any positive ideas. Centrism welcomes ideas from the right or left inclination of the political divide, from whence it deducts the positive ones that get implemented to positive results. As such, centrism promotes positive ideas and fight against the negative ones to promote positive political thinking. Centrism, therefore, enhances the coming up with ideas that the common person can identify (Norris, 2011). With enough resources and numbers, centrists can aid the unification of the existing parties. The different ideas of the different political parties need integration to come up with politically and socially acceptable solutions. Reference Budge, I. (1987). Ideology, strategy and party change: spatial analyses of post-war election programmes in 19 democracies. Cambridge u.a, Cambridge Univ. Pr Jones, B., & Kavanagh, D. (2003). British politics today. Manchester [u.a.], Manchester Univ. Press. Thorpe, A. (1989). The failure of political extremism in inter-war Britain. Exeter, Univ. of Exeter, Dep. of History and Archaeology http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/david-cameron-centrist-3573 Norris.P. (2011). New Labour and Public Opinion: The Third Way as Centrism? http://www.hks.harvard.edu/fs/pnorris/Acrobat/New%20Labour%20and%20public%20opinion.pdf Parliam, A. (1994). Consensus: A Debate Too Long? 47(4): 501-514 (OXFORD JOURNALS) http://liberalconspiracy.org/2011/07/30/is-political-centrism-inevitable ParliamAff(1982) 35 (3): 241-251 (OXFORD JOURNALS) Retrieved from http://liberalconspiracy.org/2011/07/30/is-political-centrism-inevitable/ Tormey, S 1998, The vicissitudes of `radical centrism: The case of Agnes Heller, radical centrist avant la lettre, Journal of Political Ideologies, June, Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost, viewed 20 April 2012. Read More