Theme: Political Economy | Content Type: Journal article

Free to read

Why the Everyday Economy is the Innovation Labour Needs

David Edgerton

supermarket-gde6e91468_1920

ElasticComputeFarm

| 1 min read

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.

Read the full article on Wiley

Need help using Wiley? Click here for help using Wiley

  • Edgerton.png

    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 4

Latest Journal

Volume 96, Issue 4

Includes a broad range of other articles including 'Nigel Farage is no Ramsay MacDonald: Comparing the Rise of Reform with the Rise of Labour' by Ben Jackson, 'Are the Rights of Nature the Only Way to Save Lough Neagh?' by Laurence Cooley and Elliott Hill, and 'Modernising the House: Why the 2024 Parliament Highlights the Need to Formalise Party-Group Rights in the House of Commons' by Louise Thompson. Reports include 'Before the Boil: Addressing the UK's Living Standards Crisis' by Alfie Stirling, and 'Understanding Inequality in the UK: What Can We Learn from the Deaton Review?' by Indranil Dutta. Finally, there is a selection of book reviews such as Mary Dejevsky's review of Everyday Politics in Russia: From Resentment to Resistance, by Jeremy Morris, and Donald Sassoon's review of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This, by Omar El Akkad.

Find out more about the latest issue of the journal