tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post9172793964628461356..comments2023-10-27T07:50:27.411+01:00Comments on Next Left: Why are you on the left?Tom Hampsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05917325958130851128noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7985429043801017839.post-73609184437075092372009-07-24T12:04:28.782+01:002009-07-24T12:04:28.782+01:00I think that we should take in a bit of Kant when ...I think that we should take in a bit of Kant when we're thinking about why we're on the left. Rather than thinking about a collectivism and an equality within that as a good in itself, we need to concentrate on what impact this has on Human anjoyment of life; namely, in treating people as a means unto themselves, we should be looking at how we can best guarantee empowerment and happiness to the most, whilst insuring that those not covered by 'the most' have flexible access to this category.<br /><br />In my view, given the current economic context (capitalism, and a neoliberal conception of capitalism at that), greater equality is the best route to distributing power, and thereby the individual control over one's own life which we term 'freedom'. To get there we need what I would term 'fluid equality'; where outcome is relatively equal, but people have choices to pull themselves up or voluntarily sink... just not too far from the median! I think it's important that the opportunity to take advantage of equality is continually renewed. Adults should not suffer for what they were like at eleven, even if they were really atrocious then.<br /><br />Because equality is the primary route to empowerment/freedom, I welcome the return of the concept to debate. The years between 2000 and 2006 or so were quite frankly infuriating in this regard.<br /><br />I remember a huge session about poverty at a Progress conference in which the e word (and indeed the term 'relative') were completely absent, much to my predictable chagrin. Glad things have looked up!Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07801341846218646357noreply@blogger.com