Social Democracy in Europe

[Edelweiss]

I'm writing a homework for the uni about how Europe's Social Democratic/Socialist/Labour parties ideologically have changed within the last ten years, especially concering their stance towards the Social Democratic welfare state. I'm pretty aware of the situation in the UK (British comrades respond anyway please), but I know little about the situation in other European countries.
So Europeans, please give me your input! :)

[Kez]

if you want me to post how Labour part was formed and has changed say, i dont want to seem like a secterian lol

I take it your writing it in german? could you send it me once youve finished? or post it maybe?

[Edelweiss]

Originally posted by [email protected] 21 2004, 07:28 PM
if you want me to post how Labour part was formed
Yes

[Kez]

How the Labour Party was formed (http://www.marxist.com/History/how_LP_was_formed.html)

Labours's foundation years (http://www.marxist.com/Europe/LP_history1.html)

Taff Vale, the unions and Labour (http://www.marxist.com/History/LP_history2.html)

The end of Lib-Labism (http://www.marxist.com/Europe/end_of_lib_lab.html)

for recent changes, this may help, however it covers a lot of other parties in britain at the time:

History of British Trotskyism part one of seven (http://www.marxist.com/hbt/p-1.html)

I wouldnt spend too much time on the last link if your in a rush.

for the last 10-20 years have a look at the Socialist Party (http://www.socialistparty.org.uk) website, the information will be biased against Labour (in order to justify their stance), but if your in a rush for your work, then it should do. However, there have been many changes towards the left within the last 2 years, so maybe you want to bare that in mind.

For recent articles look at our journal
Socialist Appeal (http://www.socialist.net)

[AC-Socialist]

You probrobly know all this but here we go anyway.

In the late 70's just prior to Thatcher’s election victory in 79 the labour party was experiencing decreased support in the opinion polls. Many attribute this to the failing economy, with the government spending over 6 times inflation per annum. But, it was mainly due to the publics mistrust with the severe lurch to the left just after the 1976 election. As you probably know throughout Britain since the early 60's embrogeusement had gradually taken place rendering a country with once great class fragmentation into a country with an ever increasing 'middle' class.

Seeing this, and also the factors of class de-alignment (often linked implicitly with emborgeousement) and of course the decrease in any sort of sectoral cleavage effect on voting behaviour the labour party started making some rather dramatic changes. They began to become a party more aligned to the middle classes to cope with the economic changes occurring under Thatcherism betraying there ideals until one day in 1995 the leader, a man by the name of Tony Blair removed clause 4 of there basic manifesto stating that the labour party was that of a socialistic nature. According to many this removed a lot of the 'fear' of the party from the yuppies and business men occupying the now narrowing growth of the middle class since Thatcher’s thwarting in "91.

Since there election in 1997, they have become increasingly right-wing, forcing many loyal leftist and socialist MP's to quit, attaining to there beliefs and ideals. This country now finds itself in the control of an ‘elective dictatorship’ (labour currently occupies over 2/3 of the commons legislature) under a party whose name is a blatant contradiction of its manifesto and who supports the introduction of education fees.

Please ask me to write more, I know its brief but it’s late and I’m tired. Hope it helps.