Guardian columnist Martin Kettle writes:

"40 years on, the left is yet to grasp the eclipse of socialism"

You can read the article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/aug/22/russia.georgia

I think Kettle misses the point. Both "Left" and "Right" – whatever those terms mean today – have lost their way.

In Australia the Left has abandoned the cause of a fair deal for white working class and lower-middle class families while embracing a "save the gay whales" agenda. In fact almost any cause – be it Muslim radicals, asylum seekers, Tasmanian tigers or Aborigines – is more worthy than trying to do something for those racist, red neck hoons, white working class and lower middle class men.

But the "Right," which used to stand for civil liberties and the rights of the individual against communist totalitarianism and union bullying, has also lost its way. It now stands for just three things:

--Corporate power.

--More corporate power

--Still more corporate power

Where the Left plays the "you're a racist" card the Right plays the race card.

The Left stands up to the intrusions of Christianity into secular society while appeasing Islam.

The Right stands up to Islamic bullying and tries to use Christianity to control the voters.

Both "Left" and "Right" excel at circuses but don’t do well when it comes to bread and butter issues for working class / lower middle class families.

People on the Left feel virtuous because they're not on the Right.

People on the Right feel virtuous because they're not on the Left.

Both sides come across as self-righteous.

Interesting.

I had titled this thread:

BOTH sides are self-righteous [word that rhymes with bricks]

My final sentence was:

Both sides come across as self-righteous [word that rhymes with bricks]

LOL

And both versions are accurate, bricks or otherwise.

I do, however, believe that the Right should re-assess its knee-jerk assertions that any government or social activity which aims to help the disadvantaged is just a thinly-veiled attempt at reinstituting communism.

Steven....most insightful.

[The Left stands up to the intrusions of Christianity into secular society while appeasing Islam.

The Right stands up to Islamic bullying and tries to use Christianity to control the voters.]

Actually, quite accurate I believe. It never ceases to amaze me why the Left appeases/supports Muslims.. if they had the power, half of the 'left'.. (the gays and lesbians) would be hanging from cranes like in Iran.... so..I just don't get it.. am working on it though :)

The Right.. aah.. yes.. they might try.. but really I think it's the other way around.. Many of the Churches have their own ideas, and they might not include the usual 'right' corporate power model.. but the Polly's like to identify with them...

"Prosperity" Gospel churches would be the closest to the 'Right' model you shared. Corporate Jets? Joyce MEYER.. (you don't have shares in her do you ?)

No Christian of Biblical pattern would ever feel 'self' righteous... honestly.. they would claim they are sinners, who are imputed Christs righteousness in the spiritual sense because of his substitutionary death..

Jesus told a wonderful parable "When you goto a banquet..do not take the seat of highest honour.. or the host may come and say "Friend..one more honorable than you has come.. give up your place".. and then with shame you step away from that seat" No, when you are invited.. take the lowest seat ..then the host may come and say "Come friend.. you are worthy of more honor than that" and take you to a better seat.

"What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world...but loses his own soul" Jesus :)

You've made some interesting observations, Steven.

It's not easy to identify the Left in Australian politics today. Ever since the early eighties, Labor has continued to move to the Right and now cosies up to 'corporate power' in much the same way the Coalition has always done. As a result, there's a real lack of policy differentiation between the two. The Left in Australian politics is now more accurately represented by the Greens than it is by Labor.

I don't think the true Left has abandoned the working class, but standing up for the worker is not quite as straightforward as it once was. Environmental considerations have added a whole new layer of complexity to old allegiances. It's traditionally been the Left more than the Right that has championed the need to conserve the planet, and protecting both the worker and the environment seems to lead to a clash of competing ideals.

Hopefully, Labor can resolve this conflict by advancing the development of clean and sustainable industries with widescale job opportunities and thus satisfy both planks of its platform.

Interesting Steven.

Bronwyn made a good point - highlighted in the Franklin River protests where big business and unions joined forces creating formidable opposition for environmentalists.

The demographics have changed for Labor. Many 'workers' are now doing better than traditional 'middle class' occupations due to skills shortages and unionism.

The 'downtrodden' are no longer in building/manufacturing but more likely in the hospitality, retail or cleaning sector. Or working in Aged Care or Child Care.

This trend towards corporatisation of our communities grew at the expense of morality and the wellbeing of our fellow man. A kind of ruthlessness, self-interest and materialism that we did not see in the 60s and 70s. "A little bit for me and a little bit for him" has been replaced by an every man for himself mentality.

When did this Gordon Gecko "Greed is Good" mantra take hold? How, why and where did it spring from?

The first rumblings of 'economic rationalism' occured in government and business in the mid-late 80s and it snowballed from there.

The idea that government bodies were to act more like businesses and charge for their services (to other goverment bodies), money that is not their's in the first place but taxpayer revenue. This mentality disadvantaged agencies that provided services to the community rather than other agencies. Heaven forbid that a public service would provide services to the public.

The Left and the Right have been corporatised, both buying into globalisation and free trade. Where are the original thinkers and the courageous to contest or debate the current thinking?

The Left lost credibility when they starting selling off publicly owned assets despite the will of the people to retain them and moved further to the Right in economic policy platforms.

This is not meant sound pessimistic because there will be a backlash against self-interest, history shows that any extreme regime, whether it be Communism or the extremes of Capitalism is in danger of extinguishing itself. Change will start first at the grass roots just with ordingary people choosing not to take part in the cycle of greed and debt.