There is an inherent contradiction between the government’s avowed goal of ‘big society’ and its choice of accelerated cuts in frontline services and its visceral dislike of national and local government.
Stephen Bubb, the head of the Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations, estimates that the cuts to local government alone will mean £1 billion less for community organisations across the country. It is impossible to argue that the ‘big society’ is being nurtured when the organisations and agencies which support community enterprise are laying off staff and reducing the services that they offer.
Looking at each party’s philosophical roots, both sides are able to argue a claim to this idea. For the Tories, the ‘big society’ is a natural expression of their core tenets of self-sufficiency, individualism and voluntarism. Labour, by the same token, can draw on its values of mutualism, self-help and solidarity that are given expression through our vision of a ‘good society’.
While campaigning against third sector cuts is important, our vision of the ‘good society’ needs to be more than a hook on which we hang this part of our anti-cuts campaign. Through our traditions, our activism and our language, local Labour parties can work with communities in building their strength and capability.
Part of this vision requires us to recast local Labour parties as agencies of community action – turning our party into a movement that is integrated in people’s day-to-day lives and experiences. The change that we bring needs to be embodied not just in what we talk about and stand for, but also what we do, the services we provide and the campaigns that we fight.
And there is a central role for Labour councillors, so many with a new Labour mandate, to forge a new relationship with their communities based on the cooperative values of fairness, accountability and responsibility.
But there is also the need to create our own ‘good society’ that will drive newly created institutions across our economy, the state and society – that are of the people, by the people and for the people.
We should seek financial services that command the confidence of the public through long-term security and not short-term risk – looking for a mutual future for Northern Rock and a People’s Bank at the Post Office. Public services that are responsive and popular, building on cooperative schools and foundation hospitals to give users real power over social care, housing and sure start children’s centres.
People are not seeking empty slogans, but a different kind of society where they feel and are more powerful. Our task until 2015 must be for us to begin to make this happen.
Voice of wisdom.We hope those concerned will listen to this and amend their ways.
I really liked this piece Tessa. The notion of the ‘Big’ Society is vacuous precisely because designated as ‘big’. What does this spatial reference mean in the context of a discussion of society? What I like about the idea of a ‘good’ society is that there is real depth to that notion, given the wealth of philosophical material from Plato on about what precisely ‘the good’ is. And that means there can be more depth to our discussions. Sadly, the Big Society is a cynical con which is being used as justification for a range of unfair policies – from free schools, to undermining the need for professional librarians, to a do-it-yourself model of society that we haven’t seen since the early 20th century. It’s the same method of hijacking a good idea – care in the community is a classic example – and using it as an excuse for not funding services properly. Glad Labour’s drawing attention to a much better alternative.
Good society?. At first, I had my scepticism, but I’m content with it. Within it, I think Labour must be pluralistic and proud of a multicultural embrace, while determined to protect public services as well.
I agree with most of what you say, Tessa. I have long argued that too often local politicians have been less accessible and answerable to voters than MPs. As you say “local Labour parties should be agencies for community action”. I am convinced that the most important way Labour can regain lost support is by reconnecting with voters on a local level to represent and act on the wishes and concerns they have. However, labelling your ‘integration’ policy as “Good Society” is only useful for ‘comparison’ purposes and is literally too similar to “Big Society” to serve as a ‘contrast’. Sooner or later, as people realise the truth of Cameron’s “BS” Con-trick they will develop very negative emotions every time they hear the word “Society”. Why is it that nobody, even Cameron, can give a coherent definition of “BS”? Because there isn’t one! The concept, like the slogan, is deliberately nebulous and undefinable to enable extensive and fruitless discussion to deflect from the real effects of public service cuts. Thanks to the bankers and this Tory-led regime we, the people, will be forced to exist in a “DIY Society” dependent on charity from the voluntary sector. If, Tessa, you want a pithy slogan to represent your policy I suggest you choose one as far removed from “Big Society” as possible.