Let’s examine our ‘Liberal Establishment’ and two of its distinct parts; both of which I think have let us down.
The Economic Liberals
Economic liberals have been in the ascendency over the last thirty years, arguing for laissez-faire economics, bank deregulation (before the financial crash) and globalisation. They like markets, economic efficiency, gross domestic product and wealth creation.
Financed by individuals of wealth (many living in tax exile) and championed by most mainstream newspapers, this liberal establishment is composed of pressure groups, individuals and political parties. And they have well and truly delivered for their supporters – reducing tax burdens for the better off, deregulation and above all Brexit.
In addition, they have managed to pull off one of the greatest conjuring tricks of all time. They have attached the blame for the consequences of austerity to the very opponents of austerity itself. And in this, I believe, they were aided and abetted by the behaviours of our second type of liberal.
The Social, Left of Centre Liberals
These liberals pride themselves on their tolerant, open-minded, international view of the world. They recognise that they are materially better off than their parents and they perceive themselves as wanting to leave the world a better place; with, of course the small addendum that some of them think they know what’s best for others.
A corollary of this may well give rise to the fact that many members of this group appear to disdain or dismiss the genuine feelings of others.
Once the public face of social liberalism was positive, joyful, human and freeing. Now it can sometimes be associated with a list of things that you can’t say or think; accompanied with a spirit of smug and sometimes vindictive self-righteousness, whilst the virtue of tolerance can tend to be ignored.
Even before woke culture dawned there were plenty of examples which, I believe, helped alienate the victims of austerity from social liberals. Here are just a few:
- In 2010 Gordon Brown called a Labour voter who had worries about immigration as ‘that bigoted woman’
- Hilary Clinton thought she could win a Presidential election by describing people who voted for Donald Trump as ‘deplorables’.
- Many Leave supporters in the Brexit referendum were routinely branded as ‘racist’ by Remainers
- In a recent Ipsos poll: 2/3rds of people felt that traditional politics no longer listened to ‘people like them’
Disdain never goes unnoticed by the disdained!
The two groups do have something in common!
However, both groups, I believe, do have something in common. I believe that one cause of their respective paradigms is that although they have come to their very different world views they share similar life experiences. Their social recognition and esteem comes generally, I perceive, through their personal, academic, economic and technocratic achievements; they are both interested in financial well-being – having, in the main, prospered considerably over the last 30 years. Equally they have been more than content to do little / nothing to improve the social recognition and esteem of those who earn their living through manual labour, running small businesses and those in the caring professions for whom we all enthusiastically clapped during the lockdown with Coronavirus.
These two elites generally also share one other characteristic, a private education; and this makes their life experience different from the overwhelming majority of the population.
In the UK 7% of people receive a private education yet they dominate the leadership of both elites.
- 65% of all Senior Judges had a private education as did:
- 59% of all Permanent Secretaries
- 45% of all Public Body Chairs
- 44% of Newspaper Columnists
- 43% of Newspaper and Media Editors
- 39% of Cabinet Ministers
- 34% of FTSE CEOs
My experience over the years of working and having friendships with this 7% is that few of them have learnt about or even gained an insight into the day to day lives and experiences of the remaining 93%.
If the two dominant liberal elites of our establishment are so disconnected from the majority of our people, is it a surprise that divisiveness and discord has grown over the last two decades?
People want a different approach
Despite all this though, I also believe that there is hope!
A survey out yesterday showed that:
- 71% of us believe that, for the future of our country, it is especially important that we stick together despite different views
- By a ratio of over 2:1 we say we need to be willing to listen to those we disagree with and show a willingness to compromise
- 60% of us feel exhausted by the division in politics and want it to stop
I believe we need a new strand of liberalism that enshrines discussion, debate and tolerance. A liberalism that ensures that people are not left economically behind; that addresses the perceived loss of status, dignity, voice, respect and ultimately economic power that many in our country now feel. It should also address the alienation of the young from our democratic institutions which many see as failing them.
Instead we need to build a new middle ground. We should build bridges between different groups in our society; rethinking how we show respect and esteem to our carers, small business owners and manual workers. We should focus on ending divisions and brokering compromises.
Mark Roberts 