The Age of Uncertainty
| Author | Peter Geoghegan |
| Date | 01 March 2021 |
| DOI | 10.1177/20419058211000993 |
| Published date | 01 March 2021 |
MARCH 2021 • POLITICAL INSIGHT 3
‘The only constant in life is
change.’ You don’t need to
be a follower of pre-Socratic
Greek philosophy to see the
value in Heraclitus’s ancient maxim. Just
look around the political world right now.
We are a year into a pandemic that has
wreaked havoc around the world. Millions
have died. Economies have been battered.
Livelihoods lost.
We all hope that COVID will pass soon.
Vaccines are being rolled out in record
time. But many scientists believe that
the virus will be with us for many years
to come, possibly forever. Few experts
would bet on lockdowns slipping into folk
memory just yet.
It is striking that Western democracies
have, in the main, suffered worst from
COVID. Whereas China and other Asian
states locked down hard and fast – as did
Australia and New Zealand – in Europe and
the United States the response was more
fitful and hesitant.
So, what has been learned from the
pandemic? In this week’s cover feature,
Catherine Haddon examines the British
government’s response over the past year
and finds an administration – and a Prime
Minister – that has often struggled to
maintain a clear and consistent strategy.
The pandemic is not the only source of
change in British politics. Since the start
of January, Britons – and especially British
businesses – have had to adjust to life
outside the European Union.
Delving into the deal signed between
Boris Johnson and the European Union,
Simon Usherwood finds that while
the UK made few compromises in the
negotiations, the result is an agreement
that leaves Britain much further from the
EU – and its single market – than many
would have imagined back in June 2016.
Conventional wisdom says that Brexit
fundamentally changed British politics,
reshaping the electorate into Leavers and
Remainers. But just how accurate is this
characterisation? Paula Surridge reports
on new analysis that suggests that British
voters are fragmented – but not in the way
most people assume.
Brexit has also further disrupted
the UK’s already shaky constitutional
arrangements. Polls suggest that
support has grown for both Scottish
independence and Irish reunification.
Looking at intergovernmental relations
across the United Kingdom, Michael
Kenny and Nicola McEwen find that recent
political tumult has laid bare, fundamental
weaknesses in how central and devolved
institutions work together.
All this change has had some upsides –
not least for political scientists who want
to engage beyond the academy. In two
personal reflections, Anand Menon and
Jill Rutter look back at their experiences of
participating in political, policy and media
debates around Brexit over the last few
years.
It is impossible to talk about political
fluctuations without mentioning American
politics. In early January, a Donald Trump-
supporting mob stormed Capitol Hill,
leaving five dead and Trump facing a
second impeachment hearing.
Looking back at Trump’s legacy – and the
prospects for Joe Biden’s administration
– James Boys finds a departing President
who was defeated by his own monumental
character flaws, and an incomer who faces
a divided nation. In our regular In Focus
slot, Benjamin Hennig analyses President
Trump’s foreign policy through his
favourite mode of communication: Twitter.
Of course, turmoil is hardly a novel
phenomenon in politics. On the 40th
anniversary of the formation of the Social
Democratic Party, Ben Williams and Kevin
Hickson explore how factionalism and
in-fighting have changed the political
landscape in Britain, from the ‘Gang of
Four’ to Change UK and the European
Research Group.
Elsewhere, Christina Verousi and Chris
Allen chart the dramatic rise and fall of
Golden Dawn, the far-right party that went
from the fringes of Greek politics to the
mainstream in the wake of the financial
crisis. In October, a Greek court ruled that
Golden Dawn was a criminal enterprise,
responsible for murder and violence. But
while Golden Dawn seems finished, the
far-right remains a potent force in Greek
politics.
In the Last Word slot, Philip Cowley has
everything you need to know about how
to successfully interview politicians – ‘look
interested!’ – while Ben Worthy looks at
the successes and challenges of Freedom
of Information in Britain two decades after
a right to know was enshrined in British
legislation.
Change seems to be the only constant
in our politics right now. If you would
like to join the debates or contribute to
Political Insight,
get in touch or visit
www.psa.ac.uk/insight-plus.
Peter Geoghegan
Editor
The Age of
Uncertainty
Political Insight March 2021.indd 3Political Insight March 2021.indd 3 15/02/2021 14:2915/02/2021 14:29
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