Making progressive politics work

As the slow return to growth begins to gather pace in western democracies, the danger is that insufficient attention has been given to structural economic weaknesses and long-term stresses on representational politics and governance. This ranges from technological change and disruptive economic forces to growing insecurity and inequality, fragile tax systems, skills and education mismatches, polarised labour markets, uncertainty over middle income jobs, and vulnerable social security settlements.

Meeting these challenges will require tough prioritisation and radical reform. The aim of this ‘handbook of ideas’ is to advance political debate by bringing together short policy recommendations and proposals by leading international thinkers on how progressives should approach the major economic and political challenges of our times.

Progressive Governance Conference:
The publication will be presented at a major gathering jointly organised by Policy Network, Center for American Progress (CAP) and Wiardi Beckman Stichting. The conference, hosted by Dutch Labour party (PvdA) leader Diederik Samsom and Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands Lodewijk Asscher, will bring together leading politicians, thinkers, policymakers, academics, and campaigners from across Europe and North America for a two day programme of policy exchange and debate on 24-25 April.

Contents:

INTRODUCTION

How social democracy can triumph in the 5 – 75 – 20 society, Policy Network

FUTURE WEALTH CREATION – GOVERNANCE & POLITICS

The smart state, Philippe Aghion 
Techno optimism, Will Hutton
The future of inequality, Thomas Piketty
The free-market fantasy, Jacob Hacker
The deflation trap, Andrew Gamble
Beyond free markets and compensatory redistribution, Monika Sie
Will the return of economic growth mean rising wages for workers?, Gavin Kelly
Making capitalism work, Eric Beinhocker & Nick Hanauer
The role of the state in furthering growth, Vicky Pryce
Driving-up innovation and productivity, Robert D. Atkinson
An inclusive growth agenda, Tim Besley & John Van Reenen
The case for pro-growth progressivism, Michael Mandel
Pre-distribution and monetary policy, Thomas Aubrey
Towards a learning economy, Peter van Lieshout & Robert Went
Global governance for whom?, Saskia Sassen 
Cities are the future of effective democracy, Benjamin Barber
Ethnic diversity and the future of social solidarity, Bo Rothstein 
Addressing the underlying causes of populism, Rene Cuperus 

JOBS, WAGES & SKILLS OF THE FUTURE

The rise of the service economy, Anne Wren
Clinging on to a middle class life, Brian Bell & Steve Machin
Technological change and new work, Michael Osbourne & Carl Benedikt Frey
Robots and progressive politics, Alan Manning
The societal impact of technology, Maarten Goos
Embracing low-end service jobs, Lane Kenworthy
The future of manufacturing, Julie Madigan
Six job creation fallacies, Frans Bieckmann
Avoiding a prolonged period of jobless growth, Paul de Beer
Fighting new intergenerational and skill inequalities, Bruno Palier 
Women and labour market risk, Silja Häusermann
Investing in female labour, Moira Nelson 
The motherhood penalty, Dalia Ben-Galim
Preparing young people for a changing labour market, Alan Brown
Escaping Europe’s middle age trap, Edoardo Campanella
Social investment for long-term recovery, Anton Hemerijck
Radically rethinking the welfare benefits system, Ian Mulheirn
Towards a proactionary welfare state, Steve Fuller
Skills and life chances, Andreas Schleicher
Rethinking education in the digital age, Tom Kenyon
The STEM brain drain, Averil Macdonald  
Europe needs a talent offensive, Christal Morehouse

Photo credit:  Monkey Business Images / Shutterstock.com