Raymond Williams & Starmer ‘make hope possible, rather than despair convincing’
I don’t always agree with Guardian columnist John Harris but his article in the paper on 17th July, which is on Keir Starmer’s latest refusals to commit a future Labour Government to anything of practical note at all is to the point.
Socialism, even a mild social democracy is about the hope of making capitalism a little bit more equal and a bit better particularly for those at the bottom of society. For a start off those who have more than two children have now been excluded from that hope.
The concluding paragraph to Harris’s piece is below together with a link. The line from Raymond Williams in particular speaks to our times
Right now, Labour is emphasising two contradictory ideas. With one voice, it tells us that we cannot go on like this; but it then changes register, and suggests that is exactly what we are going to have to do. The howling tension between the two brings to mind a celebrated quotation from the Welsh thinker and writer Raymond Williams: “To be truly radical is to make hope possible, rather than despair convincing.” If Starmer and his team fail that test, they will only deserve all the noise and disruption that will thereby be let loose. So far, it has to be said, the signs are not good.
Your last statement contradicts Williams’ thrust.
See http://box5819.temp.domains/~alvarode/antisemitism-corbyn-and-the-labour-party/
It is all very well for Harris to say this now, but what he is calling for when criticising Starmer is precisely what Corbyn was offering. Harris was instrumental in the Guardian’s campaign to bring down Corbyn. See http://box5819.temp.domains/~alvarode/antisemitism-corbyn-and-the-labour-party/
Indeed. See the caveat in the first line or Indeed my posts on Jeremy Corbyn who I’ve known for almost 50 years
You refer mildly to an occasional difference of opinion with Harris. If you read my blog post, you will see that Harris’s antisemitism smears against Corbyn deserve much more than that. They are despicable, even more so because Harris sets himself up as the voice of the left behind, the remnants of the working class in the North.
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