Synopses & Reviews
Blairs Community is an exciting and timely book which challenges the accepted wisdom about the role of communitarian thought in the development of New Labour under Tony Blair. From the mid-1990s there has been a widespread view that Labour policies have reflected, or even been influenced by, the work of communitarian writers like Amitai Etzioni and John Macmurray, and philosophers such as Alasdair MacIntyre and Michael Sandel.
Synopsis
Blair's community challenges the widely held view that New Labour's policies and approach have reflected or even been influenced by the work of communitarian writers, by comparing party policy and rhetoric directly with their work.
About the Author
Sarah Hale is Research Fellow in Politics at the University of Huddersfield.
Table of Contents
Part I * Introduction * New Labours communitarianism: first impressions last * New Labours communitarianism: wheres the evidence? * Part II New Labours ‘communitarian philosophy * ‘The wickedest idea of all is the idea of duty: John Macmurray on community, society and service * Rights, responsibilities and morality: Amitai Etzioni and New Labour * The mysterious absence of British communitarians from the discussion of British communitarianism * Part III Community by contract and the myth of New Labours communitarianism