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GeofCox

@dan613 @GryphonSK

I think the best way to come to an understanding of the political centre is to look at it in different times and places - hence my point that it is the ideology of the status quo. For example, think about the fascinating parallels between the suffragettes and climate protesters - and the almost identical centrist responses: that some (propertied) women should have votes - or today we should take some action on the climate - but militant action, and breaking the law, are not justified, and are probably counter-productive.

Positions that were in the political centre in times past are now extreme - usually on the right, because generally the left succeeds in reforming society, and gradually people are socialised into this changed status quo.

Seen in this historical or culture-specific perspective, it's surely clear that the political centre is the most ideological position of all, because it is no more nor less than an unthinking reflection of any society's normative assumptions.

24 Sep 2023 at 21:17 | Wall-to-wall | Open on climatejustice.social
4 comments
Dan Neuman

@GeofCox @GryphonSK American centre, Canadian centre, or Northern European centre?

24 Sep 2023 at 22:18 | Open on mstdn.ca
GeofCox

@dan613 @GryphonSK

All or any of them. I'm English but live in France, so it's clear to me that the French 'centre' is well to the left of the English (as, incidentally, is the Scottish). In Saudi Arabia a centrist policy on, say, gender equality, or gay marriage, is going to be very different from a European centrist view.

Centrism is the ideology of the status quo, whatever that might be. It's for people that have been socialised in a particular world-view and lifestyle and don't really question it, or think about it much at all; its political theory is: 'Things are not too bad, I'm pretty comfortable with the way we're living, change is risky, best not to do too much'.

And this is one reason why, I think, it's so hard to get to necessary action on climate-ecological breakdown: the political centre accepts the science - respecting science and scientists has been very much part of their socialisation - yet still resists adequate action to avert catastrophe.

The left, on the other hand, grounded in fighting for those oppressed and exploited in the status quo, has always embraced the view that humanity is capable of organising itself on the basis of evidence and reason, for the benefit of all - so it easily now embraces the rational choice of radical action on climate-ecological breakdown. (While the right naturally embraces irrationality, superstition, and retires into conspiracy theories and 'culture wars'.)

@dan613 @GryphonSK

All or any of them. I'm English but live in France, so it's clear to me that the French 'centre' is well to the left of the English (as, incidentally, is the Scottish). In Saudi Arabia a centrist policy on, say, gender equality, or gay marriage, is going to be very different from a European centrist view.

25 Sep 2023 at 6:53 | Open on climatejustice.social
Dan Neuman

@GeofCox @GryphonSK Conservatism is the ideology of the status quo. It's in the name.

25 Sep 2023 at 11:19 | Open on mstdn.ca
GeofCox

@dan613 @GryphonSK

'Conservatism' with a small 'c' is one of the flavours of centrism - centre-right, as opposed to centre-left - but the basic proposition of both is: 'Things are not too bad, change is risky, let's just tinker a bit (centre-right) or a bit more (centre-left).

But of course actual parties that call themselves 'Conservative' vary in different times and places. In the UK the 'one nation' strand within the Conservative Party was dominant before Thatcher - this was genuinely centre-right - but with Thatcher the more extreme right took over, so it's now generally regarded simply as right-wing.

Before brexit, you could chart this movement via its affiliation in the European Parliament, moving away from the mainstream centre-right grouping and joining the far right.

@dan613 @GryphonSK

'Conservatism' with a small 'c' is one of the flavours of centrism - centre-right, as opposed to centre-left - but the basic proposition of both is: 'Things are not too bad, change is risky, let's just tinker a bit (centre-right) or a bit more (centre-left).

But of course actual parties that call themselves 'Conservative' vary in different times and places. In the UK the 'one nation' strand within the Conservative Party was dominant before Thatcher - this was genuinely centre-right...

25 Sep 2023 at 12:37 | Open on climatejustice.social
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