Theme: Political Economy | Content Type: Journal article

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Why the Everyday Economy is the Innovation Labour Needs

David Edgerton

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The foundational economy/everyday economy approach promises much for Labour. It is fitted for a world of crises, where control of real resources matters, and is in line with the social democratic tradition. It marks a radical break with the kind of approach which has characterised political economic policy since the 1980s (and indeed earlier). It represents an opportunity for Labour to articulate a fresh analysis, critique and policy offering. Rachel Reeves has deployed the everyday economy idea and this has found repeated expression in her speeches—and now those of Keir Starmer. And yet, the idea suggests a much more radical rethinking of policies than Labour is offering: it casts doubt on the wisdom of aiming for more growth to be achieved by unleashing start-ups, science and technology and innovation. That represents a return to conventional opinion while the foundational/everyday approach suggests a new way forward.

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    David Edgerton

    David Edgerton is Hans Rausing Professor of the History of Science and Technology and Professor of Modern British History, Department of History, King’s College London.

    Articles by David Edgerton
Volume 96, Issue 2

Latest Journal

Volume 96, Issue 2

This issue features a collection titled 'Governing from the Centre Left' edited by Deborah Mabbett and Peter Sloman. In this collection, authors including Claire Ainsley, Jörg Michael Dostal and Eunice Goes examine how centre-left governments in North America, Australasia, and Western Europe have dealt with recent global pressures, and consider what lessons the UK Labour government should learn from its overseas counterparts. Other articles include a commentary by Ben Jackson titled 'Poverty and the Labour Party'; John Connolly, Matthew Flinders and David Judge on 'How Not to Deliver Policies: Lessons in Undeliverability from the Conservative Governments of 2019–2024'; Stewart Lansley on 'Wealth Accumulation: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'; and Coree Brown Swan, Paul Anderson, and Judith Sijstermans on 'Politics and the Pandemic: The UK Covid-19 Inquiry and Devolution'. A selection of book reviews feature Victoria Brittain's review of 'Palestinian Refugee Women from Syria to Jordan, Decolonizing the Geopolitics of Displacement' by Afaf Jabiri, and Anna Coote's review of 'The Care Dilemma: Caring Enough in the Age of Sex Equality', by David Goodhart.

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