Fabians: Social Democracy in Aotearoa

Written By: - Date published: 11:26 am, September 27th, 2012 - 10 comments
Categories: notices, social democracy - Tags: , ,

Professor Peter Davis will present a seminar asking what does social democracy have to offer in addressing our current discontents (loss of sovereignty, emigration of some of our best and brightest, commodity-dependent standard of living, structural deficit, inability to retain our key assets, solidifying underclass)?

Kiwi social democracy in the 2000’s produced some “big ideas” – Working For Families, Early Childhood Education, New Zealand Superannuation Fund, Kiwisaver, tax credits for R&D.

Internationally the Nordic model of social democracy is attractive – open and competitive economies, active labour market policy, enabling State, solid social underpinning.

But there are plenty more ideas – from across the Tasman, from the OECD and (yes!) Davos, and from the UK Fabians. These provide a strong platform for a social democratic agenda.

This free Auckland seminar is on Monday 1 October at 6.30pm in Case Room 3, Level 0, Owen Glenn Building, University of Auckland Business School, and you can register here.

10 comments on “Fabians: Social Democracy in Aotearoa ”

  1. captain hook 1

    My apologies but I cant make it.
    But the Fabians have to make sure they find someone who can break the spell of television media madness, and the micro management by focus group and other stupid people in general.
    how do we stop behaving like ninnies?
    how do we live when the tories want to take every thing for themselves?
    what can we do besides whine?

  2. BernyD 2

    “Civilised Engineering” , “The Calculus Of a country”

    Keeping the Civilised ideal that lives behind the left and right approaches, in mind, so they will always remain appropriate and pertinent.

    The data is available, open your eyes too it.

    Governments who “Judge” have lost the point, the plot and their mandate to Govern.

    Bless yas, keep fighting the good fight.

  3. Jenny 3

    The elephant in the room. And the failure of the left.

    …what does social democracy have to offer in addressing our current discontents (loss of sovereignty, emigration of some of our best and brightest, commodity-dependent standard of living, structural deficit, inability to retain our key assets, solidifying underclass)?

    The fact that looming planet killing climate change is not even on the list, is an indication of the failure of social democracy and the left.

    Could there be a more pressing issue for humanity?

    Does this omission represent a loss of nerve?

    No answers?

    Too hard?

    Is this just an accidental oversight because climate change is not seen as such a big deal?

    Will this topic even be raised at this Seminar?

  4. Jokerman 4

    God willing, i may be a small, rural pastor / vicar by then, maintaining

    Te Whare Tapa Wha
    -te taha wairua
    -te taha whanau
    -te taha tinana
    -te taha hinengaro

    (bless mason Durie and whanau; Ra hammered and pinned the rod down the length of me tibia, late night at the Mothers, did not recognise when to stop, rode through the fence!)

  5. Who is Professor Peter Davis ?
    Sounds familiar but cannot place.

  6. Jenny 7

    I couldn’t imagine a public seminar called by the Fabians in 1936 and addressed by leading leftists and left academics that didn’t mention the war in Spain or the danger to humanity of the rise of fascism. Seen at the time as the hot topic, fascism and how to combat it was discussed by leftists in public meetings and seminars all around the world.

    Yet in 2012, the greatest threat to humanity since fascism, is not even an agenda item.

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