Social democratic ideals have shaped Western Europe more than any other political movement to the right or the left. Many now take for granted the achievements brought about by a commitment to social welfare, the notion that the strong in society need to support the weak, and the idea that everyone deserves to have the same opportunity to succeed and be a valid contributor to the well-being of society.
It seems that these philosophical underpinnings are no longer benefitting the centre-left of the political spectrum. Most social democratic parties in Western Europe are risking becoming irrelevant as the working and middle classes no longer see them as promoters of fairness in society.
The recent regional elections in Italy saw the Partito Democratico almost obliterated in some traditional left strongholds after being humiliated in the general election held last March. Political infighting was not the only reason why the Italian social democrats may face the same fate of the once influential Communist Party.
Populist parties like the Five-Star Movement, despite their lack of political experience, were nearer to the people who felt threatened by lack of economic growth, corrupt politicians, uncontrolled illegal immigration and an army of unemployed especially younger people. Matteo Renzi, who some years ago was heralded as the bright spark that would revive the fortunes of Italy and the EU, now faces political wilderness.
No one seems to know what precisely social democracy stands for any more
In France, the socialists only managed to get 9.5 per cent of the popular vote in the last parliamentary elections and many of their better candidates have now defected to Macron’s new centrist formation. In Germany, the media-savvy Martin Schulz found that domestic politics was an entirely different kettle of fish from managing EU institutions that seem to thrive under the constant light of TV coverage and optimistic but mostly empty, political rhetoric.
Political analysts coined a new word for this apparent twilight of social democracy: Pasokisation, an explicit reference to the elimination of the Pasok party form Greece’s political life in 2015. When many were predicting that increasing social inequality, and a more determined involvement of government in the economy to fight financial capitalism that was behind the 2008 financial crisis, social democratic leaders failed to connect with voters. No one seems to know what precisely social democracy stands for any more in Western Europe.
Social democratic veterans like Martin Schulz may talk about social justice but the working class of today is very different from what it was two or three decades ago. Trade unions and political parties seem to be more interested in defending their traditional members, many of whom are still benefitting from old labour market practices. They seem to care less for the millions in low-paid jobs that the service economies in most of Europe have created.
Globalisation has eliminated millions of manufacturing jobs. Digitalisation has thrown everything in disarray, hitting mostly middle management. Those affected see no reason to hope that the traditional centre left or centre right will care much about their fate. They prefer to turn to populist parties of the left and the right who are now taking over substantial governance roles in many countries including Greece, Italy, Austria, Poland and Hungary rather than support the sclerotic centrist parties that once dominated European politics.
Some will argue that the solution is a stronger dose of interventionist policies by social democratic governments. This intervention is what the UK Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn seems to be advocating. His good electoral performance last year may have come as a surprise to many who saw in him a nostalgic visionary who was entirely out of touch with today’s political realities. Corbyn may have exploited the anger of many young voters who have had enough of austerity and the uncertainty that would be created by Brexit. But few believe that he has the right solutions for his country.
Once, strong political parties like the Communist parties in Spain, France and Italy, became practically irrelevant as they were unable to understand how the communities they served were changing. Many joined the ranks of social democratic parties. But now social democratic parties, like some parties of the centre-right, are themselves facing an existential crisis.
Concerns about low-paid jobs, the threat of uncontrolled immigration, a widening gap of social inequality, inefficient public services, environmental and urban degradation are some of the priorities that social democratic parties must make their own. Blair’s Third Way never took off.
johncassarwhite@yahoo.com