Nelson Mandela was fond of Martin Luther King’s phrase, ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice’. Barack Obama was surely right to say of Mandela that he ‘took history in his hands, and bent the arc of the moral universe toward justice’.
Mandela brought great progressive change to South Africa and the world. Following his death, rightwing leaders queued up to pay tribute to Mandela and his legacy. This was met with incredulity by some on the left. After all, where was the right when Mandela was in prison?
It is perhaps an inherent part of human psychology that we love to say, ‘you were wrong’, and those who did not stand up for what was right at the time should be held to account. Yet this attitude forgets the purpose of the left. I, like other lefties, want to see the world changed for the better, imbibed with justice, equality and freedom. That depends on changing minds, attitudes and beliefs. Mandela’s campaigning, speeches and example were aimed at changing minds so that he could change South Africa and the world.
Tony Benn divides politicians into signposts and weathercocks, saying ‘if you come back in 10 years’ time’ the signposts will still be there. On the contrary, he sees weathercocks as being influenced by opinion polls, focus groups and spin doctors. He wants more signposts and ‘has no time for weathercocks’. Yet, surely the ability to reflect when one is wrong, adjust to changing circumstances and societal needs, and listen to others’ opinions are characteristics that should be valued? In the words of George Bernard Shaw, ‘progress is impossible without change, and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything’.
Progressive change depends on people being able to modify their beliefs and feeling comfortable to adjust to a new world. That means that the left should want the right to publicly recant and not stay wedded to its wrongs. That is the only way to bring truly sustainable change.
So when David Cameron says he supports gay marriage we should rejoice. When he says he wants to fight climate change we should cheer. And when he promises to increase international development aid, we should take heart. This does not mean that the left should unquestioningly accept the right’s protestations of change. We should challenge, test and question – but we should endeavour to do so in a spirit that welcomes, rather than condemns, their change of tune.
And nor should we forget that the left can change its mind too – as Anthony Crosland wrote, ‘nothing is more traditional in the history of socialist thought than the violent rejection of past doctrines’.
——————————————————————————–
Omar Salem is a Labour party member in Vauxhall constituency Labour party
——————————————————————————–