Rise and Fall of the NDP - 2015 - ????

[PuckChaser]

But the CPC seemingly want (under current management) to be that NDP of the right.

Not in the slightest are they that far right. For decades they have allowed their fringe to have a voice and let democracy choose a more centrist direction. The NDP and until recently the LPC gave the levers of policy creation to the far left.

 

[FJAG]

But the CPC seemingly want (under current management) to be that NDP of the right.

Not in the slightest are they that far right. For decades they have allowed their fringe to have a voice and let democracy choose a more centrist direction. The NDP and until recently the LPC gave the levers of policy creation to the far left.

The problem is that the people who make up the inner workings of all political parties are dominated by fringe and special interest groups. They're the ones primarily motivated to get involved to that degree.

Those of us who form the moderate centre are simply to busy working for a living or, unfortunately, simply unmotivated to get heavily involved.

As a result we tend to vote for the least offensive party or the one that lies the best to us and pretends to have our interest at heart. Sometimes we even get tossed a bone.

 

[Colin Parkinson]

The problem is that the people who make up the inner workings of all political parties are dominated by fringe and special interest groups. They're the ones primarily motivated to get involved to that degree.

Those of us who form the moderate centre are simply to busy working for a living or, unfortunately, simply unmotivated to get heavily involved.

As a result we tend to vote for the least offensive party or the one that lies the best to us and pretends to have our interest at heart. Sometimes we even get tossed a bone.

Same thing happened to most of the major unions as well.

 

[DBNSG]

But the CPC seemingly want (under current management) to be that NDP of the right.

There is something wonky going on with the Conservatives. I was recently contacted to contribute to the Conservatives but I asked apparently an awkward question. I stated that Katy Telford and Gerry Butts delivered four Liberal Governments and left. Jenny Byrne lost four elections but is still there and I would not contribute until she goes. Stammer, stammer uhhh, well uhhh
Thats a good point, uhhh.

 

[Edward Campbell]

We need to remember that this is Canada's overall political alignment:

 

[RangerRay]

A good article on the left’s failures in the 21st century by a frustrated Democrat. Many examples used from around the world applicable to the Canadian Left.

The Left’s 21st Century Project Has Failed

Time to face the facts.

www.liberalpatriot.com

The 20th century encompassed the era of social democracy followed by an attempt to resurrect the left through the Third Way after that era’s ignominious end. In the 21st century, the left embarked on a new project they hoped would remedy 20thcentury weaknesses and inaugurate a new era of political and governance success. We are now a quarter of the way through the 21st century, which has witnessed both a genuine “crisis of capitalism” (the Great Recession of 2007-09) and the systemic breakdown of the COVID era (2020-22). Enough time has gone by to render a judgement: despite ample opportunity to advance their cause, the left’s 21st century project has failed and failed badly.

Consider:

• It has failed to stop the rise of right populism.
• It has failed to create durable electoral majorities.
• It has failed to achieve broad social hegemony.
• It has failed to retain its working-class base.
• It has failed to promote social order.
• It has failed to practice effective governance.
• It has failed to jump-start rapid economic growth.
• It has failed to generate optimism about the future.

Of course, the project hasn’t been a complete failure. Left parties, including the Democratic Party, have succeeded in building strong basesamong the educated and professional classes and, if they have lacked broad social hegemony, they have generally controlled the commanding heights of cultural production. As a result they have mostly set the terms of “respectable” discourse in elite circles.

But that’s pretty weak beer compared to all those massive failures and the heady aspirations of those who presume to be on “the right side of history.” Most on the left would prefer to believe that the left’s 21st century project is basically sound and just needs a few tweaks. This is whistling past the graveyard. After a quarter century, it is time to face the facts: the project is simply not fit for purpose and needs to be jettisoned.

When we look at what has been distinctive about the left’s 21stcentury project, it is not hard to see why it has not had its desired result. Here are the key strands of the project:

 

[Brad Sallows]

A good article on the left’s failures in the 21st century by a frustrated Democrat. Many examples used from around the world applicable to the Canadian Left.

Ruy Teixeira isn't some common-or-garden frustrated Democrat. He's one of the authors of "The Emerging Democratic Majority". He understands the ground well.