One of the objects of 2011 is to reclaim politics from the extremists.We all know who they are: the Taxpayer’s Alliance, Policy Exchange, the right wing blogosphere, those who think that the world is a neoliberal experiment from which they can gain.
And it is true, they have had a field day. They used the web well. One reason why they so dislike this site is I’ve been willing to fight back. And let’s cut though all their crap: sure I’m left of centre. So broadly speaking are half of all people in the UK, sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less, but we’d not have our current society unless that was true. And of those 50% who are left of centre 90% (or 45% of the population) are in the middle ground. Wow! No surprise here. This is normal distribution stuff. There are another 45% in the right wing middle ground. Combined they’re in a political sense ‘middle Britain’. I’m one of them. You probably re too. The neoliberals aren’t in that grouping. They’re opposed to the state, they build a fantasy world of economics based on wholly false assumptions that they then promote as being an epitome of liberty that actually oppresses the vast majority, and they’re utterly and callously indifferent to the needs of those without wealth.
We need to reclaim politics and especially politics on the web from these dangerous (I use the word wisely) people who wish to cause harm for a majority.
One nice idea has been put forward by Rowan Davies is that there be a mass trespass of the sane on the Guardian’s Comment is Free site on 10 January to utterly displace the usual right wing trolls who inhabit that space. As Rowan says:
Emboldened by the response to my long, whiny piece about CiF trolls (and befuddled by suet and booze), I’d like to propose that we make Monday 10 January the day of the first mass Comment is Free trespass. The idea is that people of mild temperament will shuffle gently onto CiF threads throughout the day, expressing their views in a thoughtful and respectful way. If nothing else, it will confuse the hell out of the regulars.
Given that you’re all models of reason and good temper, you don’t need any rules. But here are some rules.
1) Don’t be an arse. Once you’ve spent a few minutes on CiF your sensitivity to arsery will become dulled, so try to have a solid sense of your own definition of ‘terrible, terrible arse’ before you log in.
2) If you feel compelled to forcefully address a point made by a troll, remember the ‘shit sandwich’ technique.
3) Check in on the environment and development boards to play with the specialised sceptic and xenophobic trolls.
4) At certain points you will become bewildered and disorientated. You will start to wonder whether Harriet Harman did more harm to this country than the Luftwaffe. This is completely normal. Do some Lamaze breathing, have a cup of chamomile tea, read something by Aditya Chakrabortty. In extremis, stroke your Tony Judt action figure.
5) For the love of Christ, don’t link.
Give me a hug and hold my copy of the Beveridge Report. I’m going in.
I warmly approve.
We need to beat the trolls. They’re a threat to our society and the people of Britain.
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Thanks, Richard! Happy New Year to you. Here’s to vanquishing the Taxpayers’ Alliance in 2011 😉
Do you think that, historically, radical movements have required some ‘X’ factors to take off.
For example:
Chartism, anti corn laws, anti-slavery, female suffrage, trade unionism, civil rights, and so on.
They all seem to have common features, like:
mass support, simple message,charismatic leadership, being in tune with their times.
I don’t think anything you mention here has.
I consider, having read around this Christmas, that the thing to look-out for in 2011 is an increasing tendency to “control” internet content in a variety of ways.
Control of internet addresses will move to UN control, probably this year, after that who knows ?
It’s worth watching out for though. If you cannot control the message, control whether it is sent.
China does it quite well.
I must admit I tend to regress to the level of the CiF trolls on occasion rather than remaining above the fray – my standard post makes just two points:
1) public disgust at the economic incompetence and social vandalism of the ConDems will ensure a thumping Labour majority for Ed Miliband in 2015 (if not before) provided he can convince the British public that he can walk and chew gum at the same time;
2) Julian Glover is an idiot.
But I think Rowan’s proposal has very considerable merits and I will be joining in.
Another way of looking at this debate is perhaps to see it in terms of negative v positive. Trolls are, by definition I think, the screamers and shouters of the negative party and seem to be overwhelmingly on the right. What we see very little of is debate about how better to organise our society. Also much of the screaming is at the global and abstract level, with very few practical suggestions about how to improve things for particular individuals or groups. Drawing attention to successful initiatives and praising them may do more to bring about change and vanquish the trolls than engaging in futile arguments with them.
In this context, the Green New Deal shines, of course, like the proverbial good deed in a naughty world.
So thanks for the large contribution you have made to it.
Regards,
Pete
I’d certainly agree that a large majority of people inhabit the centre ground, to the extent that they feel particularly engaged by politics.
Of the groups you mention though, only Taxpayers Alliance has made any real crossover to the mainstream as far as I can see.
I wonder if this blog and Taxpayers Alliance can find common ground in 2011? I ask this, as in general I find it a hindrance to debate that the tax system and how it works is seen as largely a political issue.
Looking at the TPA, I think they have a great value in helping to hold government to account: after all, government are spending voters money, and have a responsibility to do that transparently and in a way that obtains best value.
Looking at this blog, taxpayers have a responsibility to ensure compliance, and pay the taxes that the law requires them to.
I don’t see either of those aims as contradictory at all: but clearly, the mix of politics is, with TPA largely believing in small state / low government taxation and spending and a lower level of public services, and this blog generally advocating more government based spending and a higher level of public services.
This year I would like to see a government that shows an understanding of there being a covenant with taxpayers, that their money is spend with care and with transparency, and that ensures taxes that are due under law are collected.
Personally, I think a massive simplification exercise is needed, together with a GAAR, both of which would help with the latter of these aims.
Once this is sorted, the politics can take care of the level of government spending and at which taxes are set!
Richard,
would you kindly take a look at the companies sitting on Gauke’s Forum on Tax And Business Competitiive (meets bi-monthly) and say which are registered offshore? I suspect most of them. In the past this bunch would be considered lobbyists – now they get a residency in government..
In this speech David Gauke announced he would create and chair a forum for business leaders to discuss ways in which the Government can improve the competitiveness of the UK’s tax system, including the long-term aims of the corporate tax system. This forum has been established as the Business Forum on Tax and Competitiveness and its membership is listed below.
Andy Halford, Chief Financial Officer, Vodafone Group plc
Deirdre Mahlan, Chief Financial Officer designate, Diageo plc
George Culmer, Chief Financial Officer, RSA Insurance Group plc
Richard Lambert, Director-General, The Confederation of British Industry
Julian Heslop, Chief Financial Officer, GlaxoSmithKline plc
Andrew Shilston, Finance Director, Rolls-Royce plc
Mark Elborne, President and CEO, UK, Ireland and Benelux, General Electric Company
Joe Greenwell, Chairman, Ford of Britain, Ford Motor Company
Andew Nelson, Finance Director, Amey plc
Mike Devereux, Director, Oxford University Centre for Business Taxation
Simon Henry, Chief Financial Officer, Royal Dutch Shell plc
The remit and membership of the Business Forum on Tax and Competitiveness will be reviewed every two years. The Forum terms of reference, which were agreed at the first meeting of the Forum, are now available.
http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/tax_forums_business_tax_competitiveness.htm
Little bit confused,are you in agreement with more or less control?
@Chris
I have no problem in finding common ground
But is there common ground to be found with those who simply seek to oppoe all action by government?
How can such absurd views be accommodated?