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28 February 2017. POLITICS AND EVENTS www.thewordmedia.org.uk
The Rise of The RighT

Book Review which is inimical to the best in-

terests of the majority. It’s neo-lib-
By NEIL CLARK eralism that has destroyed entire
working-class communities and
“Economic reform, and in par- the spirit of solidarity that once
ticular ending the dictatorship of fi- existed. It’s neo-liberalism that has
nance capital must be the priority” created so much loneliness and
In their brilliant new book, The anxiety.
Rise of the Right, three leading Tony, like many interviewees,
criminologists, Simon Winlow, Ste- looks back nostalgically to the Brit-
ve Hall and James Treadwell, set ain of forty years ago:
out to explain the rise of right-wing “Things were better then.. For
nationalism in England. people like me it was better. We
Although the book mainly con- had a right laugh at school and well,
cerns itself with English society everything just seemed to work.
and politics, there are lessons to be There was jobs then. Everyone
learnt for readers in the US and in worked. People stuck together.”
the rest of Europe too. In fact, I’d go
as far to say that if the western left Going Back to Square One
don’t pay heed to what Winlow et Instead of listening to work-
al have to say, then it could be cur- ing-class people like Tony, too
tains forever. many political representatives of
The basic problem identified by the “left” prefer to take their cue
the authors, is that the left, which from “liberal” middle-class media
once put the everyday concerns of columnists, and focus on issues
working-class people at the very which, said media columnists
head of its program, has become believe, are of the most pressing
liberalized. As neo-liberalism be- concern. This has to stop if the rise
came hegemonic, the main parties of the far-right is to be checked.
of the left and their representatives In chapter eight of their book,
turned their attention away from the authors argue that the left
economic reform and instead be- “must begin from the beginning
gan fighting culture wars. Public again”:
ownership and a commitment to “For us the left today needs to
genuine egalitarianism was out — be returned to the working class. It
identity politics was in. The talk is the working-class that must win
was of “toleration” and not of “ex- the fight for social and economic
ploitation.” justice. Middle-class liberals can-
“The left lost interest in the tra- not and will not win it on their be-
ditional field of political economy, half.”
and instead opened up new thea- The authors say that leftists
tres of conflict on the field of cul- need to acknowledge that what
ture. Generally speaking, the left they call “hippy counter-cultural-
accepted the capitalist horizon,” ism” was a “colossal error” and then
Winlow et al explain. begin to undo some of the damage
Political life in Britain became it caused.
sterile as Labour and the Conserv- Culture should not be aban-
atives converged to promote a doned, but “put back in its
pro-capitalist, economically and sub-dominant place.” Economic
socially liberal agenda. The work- reform, and in particular ending
ing-class were excluded from this “Central to this was the aban- in Britain was at its lowest in his- support far-right political groups the dictatorship of finance cap-
new, City of London-approved donment of class and the turn to tory, and the country still had a like the English Defence League ital must be the priority. A pub-
consensus. language, cultural identity and manufacturing base — why, you (EDL). Here’s Steppy, who is 39, on licly-owned national investment
In the 2001 general election, social movements… The Ameri- must be insane! The acceptable why he doesn’t vote Labour: bank, the re-nationalization of
faced with a choice between Twee- can liberal-progressivist habit of parameters of debate have be- “Those posh white people… key industries, and the return of
dledum Tony Blair and Twee- demonising socialism by placing it come hopelessly narrowed, with They’ve taken over the Labour jobs — proper, meaningful, well-
dledee William Hague, just 59% of in the same breath as fascism was “liberal” media playing a key role party. They’re taking over every- paid, full-time contracted jobs to
people bothered voting. Compare imported into Europe to provide in keeping alternative solutions, where. And look what they’re areas turned into wastelands has
that level of engagement to 1950, more attractive and subtle support which would benefit the majori- doing. First thing they get their to be right at the top of Labour’s
when turnout was 83.9%. But back to the conservative right’s demoni- ty, “off-limits.” mates top jobs. And then their agenda.
then, the working-class was prop- sation program.” “The right-liberal and left-liber- mates get jobs for their mates. The rise of the far-right is not
erly represented. The CIA got exactly what they al media can be distinguished by Your feminists are cut from the inevitable, neither is it irreversi-
wanted. their approaches to issues such as same cloth. They talk about de- ble. But the left is doomed unless
Demonization In the era of hegemonic neo-lib- welfare, multiculturalism and tax- mocracy, but there’s no democra- it campaigns on bread-and-butter
of Socialism eralism, anyone who dares to chal- ation, but when faced with even cy. Not in this country…” working-class issues and makes
lenge the liberal-left from a social- the remotest chance of the return Anti-Muslim prejudice was a clean break with elite-friendly
Former carpenter Eric Heffer, ist perspective, can expect to be of anything like real left politics, widespread among the interview- neo-liberalism. If Labour leader
who died in 1991, is cited as “one of denounced by Establishment gate- they become one voice,” the au- ees. Islamophobia is on the rise Jeremy Corbyn hasn’t ordered a
the last honest and confrontational keepers as a “Stalinist” or even “far- thors declare. in Europe, as derogatory Tweets copy of The Rise of the Right yet,
working-class heavyweights in the right.” Even advocating a return to Is it any wonder therefore, that reach an all-time high. Muslims then I recommend he does so very
Labour Party.” The authors mention the much fairer economic policies with their voices ignored by those have become a scapegoat for the quickly.
how the CIA played their part too in of 1945-79 is regarded as beyond who once claimed to represent anger, frustration and alienation *The Rise of the Right, English
destroying the genuine socialist left the pale. them, the British working-class that many supporters of the EDL Nationalism and the Transforma-
— as chronicled by H. Wilford’s book, has looked for other options? The and other far-right groups feel. tion of Working-Class Politics — Si-
The CIA, the British Left and the ‘Liberal’ Media second half of The Rise of the Right But the big problem, as the au- mon Winlow, Steve Hall and James
Cold War: Calling the Tune? which Back to the 70s? When the includes interviews with work- thors show, has been the rapacious Treadwell, published by Policy
is referenced in chapter three: gap between the rich and poor ing-class men and women who economic system we live under, Press.