Caroline Lucas’s Good Society, Social Democracy article excerpt, minor editing By Carolyn Bennett for Today’s Insight News
“A positive future for social democracy depends upon a genuine political commitment to social and environmental justice”
Lucas is talking to Europe, but think USA, too
Increasing numbers of reports underline that happiness and well-being do not depend on endless economic growth and material wealth; but rather on contented families, strong communities, meaningful work and personal freedom. So it becomes clearer that the policies we need to live good lives are precisely the policies we need to tackle the environmental and social challenges we face today.
In order to reassert the values of social democracy and unite the left to protect the well-being of people and planet, we therefore need explicit policies designed to reduce inequality and reduce climate emissions. We must pull lower incomes up ─ in the short term through a living wage, in the longer term via Citizens Income ─ and, crucially, levy proportionate taxation on the highest incomes. Research by Compass has found considerable public support for a fairer tax system to redistribute wealth, with 78 per cent in a recent poll saying they would support a tax system whereby the richest 10 per cent pay at least the same percentage of their income in tax as the poorest 10 per cent. Fair policies to cut emissions through a system of individual carbon rationing will also play a key role in this new social democracy.
“What’s clear is that right-of-centre political ideology, with its fondness for free market deregulation, privatization and public spending cuts, does not hold the solutions to the challenges that we face. It is the responsibility of social democracy to combat the continued rise of the right by staying true to the values of its socialist roots and placing fairness at the heart of the political economy. We need a social democracy founded on ecological sustainability, wealth redistribution, cultural innovation and human well-being.
“The progressive left must provide a positive and hopeful vision for a greener, fairer future – anything less will amount to a political and a moral failure that Europe [Think USA too] simply cannot afford.”
Caroline Lucas is Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, and a Member of the European Parliament for the South East of England. Lucas is a leading authority on green politics, climate change, international trade, animal welfare and peace issues. She is standing in Brighton Pavilion as the Green PPC [Prospective Parliamentary Candidate] for the upcoming general election.
Sources and notes
“Where now for Social Democracy in Europe? (A positive future for social democracy depends upon a genuine political commitment to social and environmental justice),” by Caroline Lucas, January 15, 2010, http://www.social-europe.eu/2010/01/where-now-for-social-democracy-in-europe/
The United Kingdom’s “most influential ideas and action-based political pressure group with over 30,000 members and supporters enabling people to go out, take action and make real change happen,” Compass was launched in 2003 with publication of its Vision for the Democratic Left.
Compass is building the ideas and organization for a new progressive consensus based around its “core values of democracy, equality and sustainability ─ instead of silos, we know you cannot have one without the other two. As the planet gets hotter and the poor get poorer,” Compass campaigns “collaboratively with progressive politicians of all parties, pressure groups, trade unions, think tanks, NGOs, academics, activists, campaigners and across civil society. We’re building a coalition for a radical 21st century politics the country [UK] needs now.” Direction for the Democratic Left, http://www.compassonline.org.uk/index.asp; http://www.compassonline.org.uk/about/index.asp
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