Each month, Fabian Global Forum’s Editor – Adam Lent – will do his bit to build consensus by drawing together the key themes and issues emerging in every part of the site.

Let's Get Concrete

July 2002

Amongst those with a progressive view of politics, there is a growing consensus about the underlying values we should bring to bear on the process of globalisation. This much is clear from reading contributions published on this website and elsewhere.

This is not surprising. For over a century the values of greater equality and social sustainability through government regulation and redistribution have been a feature of popular activism and state policy in many countries around the globe. In a world riven by the inequality and instability sponsored by a new unregulated global capitalism, it seems logical to bring such well-established values into the world arena.

Anyone who campaigns or works within NGOs, trade unions, faith communities, left of centre political parties and the more thoughtful campaign groups know how widely held is this vision of a global progressive politics.

And yet the notion of a broad social democratic or progressive vision for the globe is not widely spoken of or campaigned for. There is no clear understanding of a perspective sweeping enough to counter the threats of New Right, far right and anti- globalisation ideologies. Instead, single issues still predominate on the centre left - yesterday debt, today trade. These campaigns are undoubtedly hugely worthy in themselves but they do not have the longevity to counter the ongoing projects of these other perspectives.

Partly this is the result of a short-termism that inflicts NGOs and professional campaign groups most of whom plot their strategies on two to three-year timescales. Unfortunately radical political change usually takes decades not months. There is also a fear of dissolving their individual identities into a broader vision when such 'brands' are vital in the crowded market place of charitable donations and group membership.

But perhaps the biggest obstacle to the development of a broader global vision is the lack of detailed policy debate and the lack of consensus around a set of concrete demands for change. Speaking personally, I have now read enough progressive books and articles on globalisation that spend pages on the history, dynamics, and values underlying their perspective but leave practical proposals for change to their last paragraph or chapter. Widely-shared broad values are obviously necessary but ideologies ultimately become known and mobilise constituencies through the real world changes for which they struggle.

This is not to say there are not plenty of ideas out there but many rarely get further than the proposal stage let alone making it to a full debate. But if we are serious about building a progressive or social democratic global vision, there are some fundamental core issues that need addressing and will require consensus amongst campaigners:

• What would a permanent global mechanism for the redistribution of wealth look like?
• What sort of global institutions could most effectively regulate corporate activity?
• How would a more direct global democracy work?
• What structures and sanctions are needed to prevent nations and associations undermining greater global equality and democracy?
• And, maybe most importantly, how can we create the necessary sense of global community to ensure ongoing support for these structures?

Difficult but vital questions if we are to move forward and establish a vision of practical change that can really ensure globalisation works for all.

Adam Lent
London, July 2002