Where now for European social democracy? Introducing the Good Society debate

By Jon Cruddas and Andrea Nahles

European social democracy needs a fresh start. In the wake of the most severe economic crisis in decades it became clear that social democrats have not paid enough attention to the development of a real political alternative to the dominant free market orthodoxy. When the demand for an alternative politics was there social democrats had very little to say. Adaptation to the political mainstream over the last one and a half decades was a strategy that gave short-term electoral success at the price of the long-term viability of social democratic politics. Recent national and European election results prove that this short-term success is over and that the crisis of social democratic politics has reached worrying levels indeed.

It is therefore vital to reenergise European social democracy with a new politics and a new identity. We need a new epoch of novel social democratic thinking. A fresh political start does not mean romanticising the past. But it cannot mean further adjustment to a failing socio-economic model either. We need a new political narrative that combines sharp analysis of the shortcomings of the economies and societies we live in with an authentic and convincing vision for the future.

In the past we have too often relied on a narrow set of pragmatic policies addressing individual problems. A new social democratic narrative needs to capture the imagination of citizens as well as provide specific solutions.

In April we published our joint paper “Building the Good Society”. It was meant to be the first point of reference in the debate that is needed to stimulate the development of a new social democratic identity. The “Good Society” as the guiding principle for a new politics needs to be filled with life by a broad discourse that is truly pan-European in scope. Previous social democratic renewal periods originated in one or few countries and spread from there. Today, we need a broad and inclusive debate from the beginning on, taking as many national experiences and views on board as possible. Contemporary Europe is not the Europe of the 1950s or the even 1990s anymore. This needs to be reflected in how we want to build a new social democratic identity and the Good Society.

For this reason, we today start an unprecedented project. Social Europe Journal in association with Soundings Journal and supported by Compass and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung are organising a pan-European online debate. For the next six weeks, contributors from all over Europe will publish their views on the “Good Society” on this website. Contributions will refer to our joint paper but also add new arguments to the debate.

We invite everybody to use the opportunity to discuss each contribution. The Good Society debate is open and inclusive so make your voice heard and help us to start developing a new social democratic narrative for the 21st century. You can join it at goodsociety.social-europe.eu.

Jon Cruddas is Labour MP for Dagenham. Andea Nahles is the Deputy Chairwoman of the German Social Democratic Party.

Contact the Good Society team at goodsociety@social-europe.eu.