Psychological Socialism: The Labour Party and Qualities of Mind and Character, 1931 to the PresentTo Labour's first Prime Minister, Ramsay MacDonald, socialism meant not only 'satisfactory figures of death rates and .improved houses' but also the 'mental cleanliness, the moral robustness of our people.' This book explores the neglected theme of individual character and 'mental qualities' in British social democratic thought and Labour Party history. How important was it for the centre-left that citizens be 'good people'? What was the relationship between socialism and psychology in the 1930s? Did Labour's technocratic, statist socialism of the 1950s and 1960s downgrade moral and mental progress? Why was the party often more concerned to produce a 'rationally planned' economy that rational, independent-minded citizens? Does New Labour represent a sidelining of ethical socialism or a re-birth of the pre-war left's belief in improvement through education and self-control. |
Other editions - View all
Psychological socialism: The Labour Party and qualities of mind and ... Jeremy Nuttall Limited preview - 2013 |
Psychological Socialism: The Labour Party and Qualities of Mind and ... Jeremy Nuttall No preview available - 2006 |
Psychological Socialism: The Labour Party and Qualities of Mind and ... Jeremy Nuttall No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
A.H. Halsey academic achieve agenda altruism approach argued assumption attitudes Attlee behaviour believed Benn Bevan Blair Britain broader Callaghan citizenry citizens Conservative Crosland Papers Crossman culture David Blunkett David Marquand Durbin economic egalitarian Election Manifesto electoral emphasis equality Etzioni Evan Durbin example Fabian Society Fabian Tract Future of Socialism G.D.H. Cole Gaitskell Giddens Gould Healey Herbert Morrison Ibid idea ideological important individual intellectual intelligence interest issue Jenkins Kinnock Labour figures Labour Party Laski left's liberal London Marquand mental progress mind and character moral motives Neil Kinnock noted Oxford parents Party General Election party's Peter Mandelson politicians priorities psychological qualities of mind R.H. Tawney radical reflected responsibility revisionism revisionists Roy Hattersley Roy Jenkins schools self-interest sense social democracy socialist society Strachey stressed suggested synthesis Tawney Thatcher Tony Crosland traditional values vision whilst Wilson