Modernisation Literature Review

1335 Words6 Pages
Literature Review Domment (2015) argues that modernisation has become a highly ambiguous process that has come to characterise party politics dynamics over recent decades. The author believes that leaders cross the political spectrum want their party to show an awareness of recent struggles, therefore, they amend their agendas to appeal to modern day voters. Similarly, Oborne (2011) supports this view and depicts modernisation as a ‘set of techniques for securing and then keeping in power’. Kenny and Smith (2001) also describe modernisation in the political realm as an endeavour to bring the political world in line with the changes that have occurred in society, economics and culture. Finlayson (2003) describes it to be a reaction to new…show more content…
However, he dismisses arguments that this happened because of globalisation or in accordance to the ‘new times’ as he believes that despite the changes in the global economic production, ownership, competition and distribution in recent years, Labour embodied the ideology preference which was already familiar to voters to appeal to “an electorate which has repeatedly proven its Thatcherite susceptibilities” (1994, p704). Additionally, Wickham-Jones (1995) shares Hays view claiming that Labour’s shift to neo-liberalism was a result of practical necessity. He uses the theory of structural dependence on capital to argue that social democracy and policies of the left tend to struggle in contemporary society, therefore, governments are compelled to maintain economic conditions that promote investment and ensure economic…show more content…
He believed the party wanted to create a different path by creating and offering the ‘Third Way’ because the “new times and old left don’t belong together” (2000, p28). As such, the third way was created as a renewal of social democracy. Coote (1999) generally supports this view highlighting that the third way aimed to deliver social change without the typical reliance on direct state intervention. However, some authors critique this approach to modernisation taken by the Labour party claiming that it should be considered ‘post-Thatcherite’ and the supposed third way offered no decisive ideological stance, instead it appeared to be a ‘catch-all’ party all in the aim of winning support and attracting voters (Driver and Martell, 1998). This critique is also echoed by Alan Ryan (1999) who argued that the third way only offered a ‘neither/nor’

More about Modernisation Literature Review

Open Document