‘The Rise and Fall of Liberal Ideology and the Liberal Party’

The first Zoom seminar was a great success so there will be more. This week’s topic covers the period from C17th to the present, the rise of the bourgeoise class, the emergence of the individual and possessive individualism in the face of opposition from ideologies of divine rights for the aristocracy. Liberalism turned the world upside down, and gave the rising middle classes a set of beliefs to justify their appropriation of the mode and means of production. Liberalism dominated British thought until 1920 and, in its new form of Neo-Liberalism, allowed the Conservative Party from 1979 to undo the post-war settlement. Socialists need to know the ideologies of our enemies and be able to deconstruct them.

It starts at 2.00, John will talk for an hour or so and then there is up to an hour for questions and discussion. You are very welcome to have your say on the subject if you wish. Click this link at 2.00  to join the seminar. It’s not encouraged but you can sneak into the back of the ‘room’ if you are late. Meeting ID: 899 5092 6713. Call Mark White on the number in the members’ bulletin if you have any problems.