The Start of History?
| Author | Peter Geoghegan |
| Published date | 01 June 2019 |
| Date | 01 June 2019 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1177/2041905819854319 |
JUNE 2019 • POLITICAL INSIGHT 3
The Start
of History?
In 1992, acclaimed American political
philosopher Francis Fukuyama entered
the global imagination when he
prophesied the ‘end of history’. The Cold
War had melted. The Berlin Wall had fallen.
Free-market liberal democracy had won a
permanent victory. Or so it seemed.
Almost three decades on, Fukuyama’s bold
prediction looks far from secure. China is still
a one-party state ruled by market socialism.
Russia is at the centre of an increasingly chilly
Cold War. And, most worryingly, democracy
itself is being called into question in parts of
the Western world.
In a recent Hansard Society survey, 54
per cent of respondents believed that
‘Britain needs a strong ruler willing to break
rules’. Support for leaders with pronounced
authoritarian tendencies has grown.
Mahrukh Doctor reports from Brazil where
Jair Bolsonaro stormed to victory in last year’s
presidential election on the back of a radical
right message. But will the ‘Tropical Trump’
be able to deliver on his hardline campaign
promises in oce?
In a thought-provoking analysis of
recent books examining the ‘crisis’ in liberal
democracy, Bill Jones considers the various
factors behind this decline in faith in the
system, from economic insecurity to rising
nationalism, and nds that for democracy
to thrive how we do politics will need to
change.
But all hope for democracy might not
be lost just yet. Alan Renwick and Michela
Palese outline a new approach to political
information discourse that could improve
democracy by strengthening citizens’
decision-making abilities.
By most measures, one issue above all is
currently undermining belief in the British
political system: Brexit. The outcome remains
unclear at the time of writing, but the process
of leaving the European Union has been far
from smooth.
One area where the UK government has
promised no change is in environmental
standards and regulation. Environment
Secretary Michael Gove has pledged to
deliver a ‘Green Brexit’. But, as Charlotte
Burns. Brendan Moore, Viviane Gravey and
Andrew Jordan discover, Britain’s post-Brexit
environmental policy remains shrouded in
uncertainty.
Another focus of post-Brexit doubt is trade.
Proponents of leaving the EU often point
to Anglophone countries as an obvious
replacement for the UK’s relationship with
the European Union. Michael Kenny and Nick
Pearce explore the history of the Anglosphere
and its re-emergence in British politics.
One near constant of the Brexit process
has been the role of the Democratic Unionist
Party. Kingmakers in Westminster, the DUP
has often been a thorn in Theresa May’s
side – even though the Prime Minister has
relied on the Northern Irish unionists for her
majority.
Jon Tonge examines the rise of the DUP
from the margins to the heart of British
politics and nds a party that owes its
success less to its religious roots, and more
to uncompromising unionism and fervent
opposition to Irish republicanism.
Elsewhere, Paula Keaveney looks at the
dierent rules that British parties have for
electing their leaders and nds that most are
now trying to involve ordinary members –
and even non-members – in the leadership
election process, with varying success.
In this issue’s cover feature, Stephen Farrall,
Emily Gray and Phil Jones examine the
lasting impact of a politician who was, in her
lifetime, synonymous with free-market liberal
democracy: Margaret Thatcher.
Based on survey research, the authors
explore how the rst female British Prime
Minister has inuenced contemporary
political attitudes and nd that, in many
important respects, we are all Thatcher’s
grandchildren. Nevertheless, as Guy
Miscampbell and Will Tanner argue in the Last
Word, the Tory party could perish if they do
not attract new, younger voters.
On the other side of the political aisle,
Labour has been dogged by accusations
of antisemitism. Has the crisis changed
attitudes among the party’s Jewish voters,
and the wider community? Andrew Barclay
examines the evidence and nds a worsening
relationship under Jeremy Corbyn’s
leadership.
Away from British politics, Yemen has been
engulfed in civil war and an unparalleled
humanitarian crisis since 2015. Aaron
Edwards explores the political contours of the
Middle East’s poorest country. In the regular
In Focus slot, Benjamin D. Hennig maps
gender inequality around the world and nds
that the political sphere is often the most
resistant to change.
The challenges facing established political
systems around the world are unlikely to
recede anytime soon. 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
Political Insight May 2019.indd 3 08/05/2019 10:55
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