When I was about 13 or 14-years old I was an anarchist. Oh, I don’t mean the bomb-throwing bearded type with a cloak and a suspicious look type, or even the crazy, violent ‘I want to break up the G20 talks’ type. No, I was more the ‘I want to shock my parents’ type. You see, my parents were both lifelong Conservatives, with very traditional values and beliefs, so my radicalism came as quite a shock to both of them.
Nonetheless, and to their eternal credit, they never prevented me from exploring anarchist values and beliefs, or reading Proudhon and Kropotkin – as a far as a 13-year old is able to understand them anyway.
I vividly recall one night my mother raising the subject of my political beliefs and discussing the comparison between anarchism and ‘traditional’ political beliefs. That night we argued and tussled over key philosophical and political points until about 3 am. By the time I went to bed she had given me one of the greatest gifts of my life – and it is one I still cherish today – the ability to recognise the merits in another person’s argument.
You see, I cannot understand this 21st century notion of ‘trashing’ people – it just seems rude and uncaring to me. Why do we do it? Well, I am sure dome do it because it makes them feel good, while others do it because they feel if they win they feel stronger – a kind of return to the caveman mentality.
Why am I talking about this today? Well I have been reading through a lot of the left-wing press lately and some of the comments being made about David Cameron and George Osborne … and they disturb me.
You see, as regular readers will know, I am no fan of either of these two men. I find their political values and beliefs totally contradict everything I believe in. However, I am convinced they believe in their brand of Conservativism equally as strongly as I believe in socialism. I would argue whilst I think he is wrong, Cameron truly believes his ‘austerity measures’ will make Britain a safer, stronger, better place. And when he talks about the Big Society, he truly believes a politics based on the acts of individuals working together in local communities is far better than state intervention and public ownership of the means of production.
It is my opinion David Cameron is totally of the opinion anyone can achieve success, if they are willing to work and sacrifice. It is his view in such instances, the state should not intervene and ought to offer support to help the little man or woman become bigger.
He holds there will always be those who are advantaged and there is nothing wrong with acquiring money and property, as long as it is done legally and morally. If this results in some people being disadvantaged, then this is just the nature of capitalism. If they become poor, the state should prop them up for a time, but there must be an underlying principle of having to earn the support of the state.
He does not believe these things out of some malevolent belief demanding he protects his own self-interest although, as a human being, I am sure he includes himself in the pack of those whom he wants to help. There is nothing evil about any of the Conservative leadership – they are dedicated people, committed to their own personal values – and it may surprise some readers, but I do totally respect all of them, some more than others.
This does not mean I agree with anything they say, far from it, I think their views are dangerous, divisive and cruel. I hold modern Conservativism as practiced by this government will destroy the livelihoods of thousands of people and reduce this country of a society of “them” and “us”.
But I do respect Cameron – he has a brain and a good one, he is a highly competent politician and daily demonstrates he is a master of his craft and he is an idealist. I have always been drawn to idealists, perhaps because I am one myself. We each want different things for this country, but we have a vision of how this country should be.
It is wrong to ridicule the Tory leadership; it will do nothing to forward the socialist cause and makes a mockery of the left argument. Instead, socialists need to recognise that in Cameron we have the most dangerous of enemies – a thinker with a philosophical path for the future for this country. This makes him the most dangerous kind of Conservative – and he should be treated accordingly.
Socialists need to review their arguments – remove the personality politics and keep attacking the issues. On blogs lately I notice how more right-wingers continue to attack me personally – even though I am careful to refrain from personal abuse. The right are starting to worry, because they know they are losing the argument – and like every kind of frightened animal, when it is in a corner it will use any means of attack before it gives in.
The left can and will win – we just need to keep up the pressure
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