The idea of increasing democracy and the potential role of neighbourhood councils was discussed by Anthony Crosland in his Fabian Tract in January 1972 A social democratic Britain. He sets set out four Labour’s objectives. (p.5)
(1)
‘(A)n exceptionally high priority,
when considering the claims on our resources, for the relief of poverty,
distress and social squalor – Labour’s traditional “social welfare” goal.’
(2)
‘(A) more equal distribution of
wealth, not because redistribution today will make all the workers rich, but to
help create a more just and humane society,’
(3)
‘(A) wider ideal for social equality,
involving not only educational reform but generally an improvement in our
social capital such that the less well off have access to housing, health and
education of a standard comparable, at least in the basic decencies, to that
which the better off can buy for themselves out of their private means.’
(4)
‘(S)trict social control over the
environment – to enable us to cope with the exploding problems of urban life,
to protect the countryside from the threat posed by more industry, more people
and more cars, and to diminish the growing
divergence between private and social cost in such fields as noise, fumes,
river pollution and the rest.’ (p.1)
He argues that growth will help achieve these
objectives and participation in decision making is an important part of this.
Participation
Participation ‘should mean that the general public
participates directly in decision making, and not just indirectly through its
elected representatives.’ However ‘in a society as large and complex as ours,
participation’ through mass meeting or the strictly local forum ‘can occur only
on a limited scale’ (p.12)
He differentiates between single issue campaigns
like CPAG and Shelter and that voluntary group activities ‘are on balance an
enormous force for good.’ ‘They provide a badly needed element of
countervailing power in our society.’ However, ‘these activities are not
necessarily socialist in either
content of intention’ (p.13)
He urges Labour to ‘seek ways of involving the
majority in what is so far largely a minority movement; and I revert here to
the concept of the neighbourhood or community council… decisions that most
affect people’s lives are decisions about their locality … It is at this local
level that people often feel most helpless in the face of authority. They do
not want a continuous process of active participation. But they do want to be
consulted about, and to influence, these decisions which profoundly affect
their daily lives.’
Crosland had included in the White Paper on Local
Government Reform published earlier in the year ‘the idea of smaller local or
neighbourhood councils – urban parish councils.’ He refers to the work of
Michael Young and the Association of Neighbourhood Councils. He concludes that
‘the neighbourhood council opens up a way forward which we should boldly take
even in advance of legislation.’(p. 14)
Neil
Kinnock & The Future of Socialism
Moving on another 13 years in his Fabian pamphlet The Future of Socialism. (January 1985) Neil
Kinnock view flows from a realisation that Labour strategy and tactics need to
adjust its values to win the support of ‘the modern working classes whose
upward social mobility, increased expectations and extended horizons are
largely the result of opportunities afforded them by our movement in the past.
(p.2)
‘British democratic socialism is a tapestry and
the thread that runs through the weave is above all a deep concern with
fellowship and fraternity; with community
and participation.’ (p. 3)
‘Collective provision has not been the enemy of
individual freedom, it has been the agent of individual emancipation and for
that reason it will occupy a central position in the forging of socialism.’ (p.
5)
Kinnock admits that past Labour ‘strategies have
been incomplete, ill-thought out, and – usually – externally imposed by people
who will not have to live with the consequences.’ (p.8)
His final paragraph includes tapping into ‘those
civic virtues which are in effect, socialism in action-mutual care and mutual
aid.’(p.12)
Should
Neighbourhood Democracy Be Introduced? – Part. 3. Labour Social Justice, Efficiency & Citizenship follows.
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