The New Left Project takes as its starting points:
- 1.A belief in the value and equality of human life;
- 2.An endorsement of the fundamental rights that flow from this (as set out for example in the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights); and…
- 3.The view that those rights are best honoured by cohesive, co-operative societies based primarily on collective and democratic social organisation and run on the principle of economic and ecological sustainability … (about 1/2).
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About 2/2: … The New Left Project takes the view that the political economy of Britain is – in common with much of the rest of the world – characterised by the undue influence of various concentrations of socio-economic power.
The disproportionate influence that these institutions, corporations and elite groups of individuals wield over how our societies are governed elevates the goals of power and profit over the principles of human equality and freedom. Wars, poverty, inequality, potentially catastrophic damage to the Earth’s climate, and other unacceptable constraints and denials of human freedom, rights and welfare are largely caused by these fundamental imbalances in the distribution of political, social and economic power, both in individual societies and across the globe.
We are conscious of the fact that, to the extent that progress has been made over the course of history in addressing power imbalances and challenging injustice, these successes have been won by popular political action, rather than being handed down by the powerful as gifts. The end of the Atlantic slave trade, voting rights, women’s suffrage and the defeat of Apartheid all came for the most part as the result of individuals organising together, campaigning and articulating the case for progressive change.
With this in mind, the New Left Project seeks – via this website – to contribute to and facilitate broad-based campaigning for progressive political change, in line with the values, beliefs and opinions set out above. We will engage with as wide a range of issues as our knowledge and resources will allow; from climate change, to economics, foreign affairs, and many others. Our focus will reflect the fact that we are UK-based, but also that we recognise and value the long-standing internationalist tradition in progressive politics.
We will produce original analysis and comment pieces. We will work to spread useful information and ideas by drawing attention to books, articles, video and events that we believe will inform and interest our readership. We will facilitate debate and conversation between people who broadly share our views and beliefs, with the aim of aiding the development and improvement of progressive politics. In all these activities our goal will be to achieve and maintain a high standard of productive, thought-provoking and informative discussion at all times.
In this way, the New Left Project hopes to make its own contribution to the efforts that are being made by millions of activists in countries across the world to challenge economic injustice, environmental damage, war, imperialism and human rights abuses.
Comments policy:
Here at the New Left Project, we are keen to encourage you to contribute your own comments under articles, and engage in discussion with the authors and amongst yourselves. We are aware that internet-based discussion forums where the tone becomes heated or abusive, and where many comments consist merely of assertions backed with neither evidence nor reasoning, end up discouraging participation from people who have interesting things to say, and are rendered valueless as a result. To preserve this as a useful forum for you, we are resolved to prevent discussion on this site degenerating in that way. Therefore, all comments posted here are pre-moderated.
The role of comment moderation at NLP is analogous to the chair of a public meeting or the letters editor of a newspaper or magazine. The aim is to ensure that comments add something valuable and substantive to the material that is being commented upon. Comments that, in our view, fail to achieve this will not be approved.
Comment approval may not be instantaneous, as this site is run by a small group on a part time basis. We accept that some may find some of those decisions unsatisfactory, but take the view that there will be more who welcome the ability to participate in fruitful and worthwhile discussion and debate.