New Labour ideology
Assessing the post-Marxist critique
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 6293246 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Anthony M Clohesy (corresponding author) |
| Year | 2002 |
| Volume | 7 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 39-56 |
| Publication date | 2002-02-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Political Ideologies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1356-9317 • E-ISSN: 1469-9613 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/13569310120111682 |
| OpenAlex | W2037229775 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 3 |
| References cited | 8 |
In this article I argue that many of the critiques of the 'radical centre' are under-theorized. Although they quite legitimately criticize the way in which the radical centre is being implemented, they fail to acknowledge the more serious theoretical problem implicit within it. Chantal Mouffe, arguing from a post-structuralist perspective, goes some way to identify this problem. Arguing that the radical centre is a 'contradiction in terms', she suggests that to be radical is to recognize the incompleteness of any political settlement. It is, in other words, to recognize the centrality of conflict in politics. Mouffe claims that because the idea of conflict is missing from New Labour discourse it represents a serious threat to democracy. I argue here that, although her intervention is important and necessary, it inadvertently precludes a fair assessment of the government. The reason for this is that it renders problematic any support lent to the government on the grounds that it deepens the New Labour myth that a positive sum politics and a fully transparent society are possible. I conclude that those arguing from a post-Marxist perspective have to recognize this tension if they want to maximize support for delivering on peoples' everyday concerns and resist the totalizing and undemocratic spectre of unity and consensus
Contradiction · Democracy · Economics · Epistemology · Government (linguistics · Ideology · Law and economics · Marxist philosophy · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Sociology · Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism · Law · Philosophy · Political and Economic history of UK and US · Social Policy and Reform Studies
| Unique citing works | 3 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,14 |
| Citation span | 2005 - 2010 (6) |
| Citation velocity | historical |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 3 |