Re: Labour Parties

[Philip Ferguson <plf13@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Bob G writes:
> I've demonstrated for NSW electoral politics in my recent piece, The People'
> s Choice http://members.optushome.com.au/spainter/Peopleschoice.html, that
> the intermediate strata vacillate between Labor and Liberal. In a surge to
> Labor, the Labor vote goes up among the new social layers, and in a swing
> against it goes down the social strata. In that sense I'd assert something
> that will drive Ferguson, the DSP and others like them completely mad:
> voting Labor, among the new social layers, rather than voting Tory,
> represents a significant leap in class consciousness, from outright
> identification with the bourgeoisie to a primitive reformist social or class
> consciousness.


No, Bob, bless you, it doesn't drive me mad.  Not even in the
slightest.  To the contrary, it is a quaint old position that amuses me
in the same way that I'm amused by dear old aunts recalling 'the war'.
I'm sure I could pass a very pleasant and interesting afternoon with you
over tea and scones and not get in the slightest bit angry.

My response to you claim, above, however, will be brief.

When the NZ Labour Party openly projects itself as a bourgeois party,
and when no-one in the country (apart from a few totally marginalised,
old lefties) thinks of it as any kind of workers' party, then 'the new
social layers' voting Labour is simply an indication of a liberal form
of bourgeois consciousness.

Over on this side of the ditch, the 'new social layers' vote Labour
because they are liberals and so is Labour.  It has nothing to do with
them having any 'reformist social or class consciousness.'

Phil

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