The New Conservatism and the Old
Hall refers to a passage taken from George Scott's Time and Place. He uses the passage as an explanation of what he sees unfolding as the new Conservatism makes void the aspirations and ambition of the younger middle-class. Hall states, "It catches in an authentic form the suffocated, thwarted ambition, the explosively inverted class prejudice, the rooted self-interest of the new men of power manqué." We have seen this same scene play out in American politics where the up and coming middle- and working- class are looking to get a piece of the American dream only to find that the policies, legislation, and capitalist forces choke out the seedling that is their ambition.
What can we do in our respective fields to prevent this abuse of power to instead empower the various classes to work toward change while still allowing them the space to reach for whatever dream they have for their future? Or, do we need to have a discussion about how their dream/ambition could be contributing to the state of their fellow citizens?
Political Commitment
Can we have a discussion around the topic of modernisation? Looking at Hall's points, it is the means to get to whatever place we are working toward, however that seems mismatched. What could that look like if we were to consider his points and work toward an end that aligned with them?
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