This new focus by PS on “effective freedom” seems interesting, but a lot of the ideas at least at this stage of development seem a bit underwhelming. But scope for more concrete things between now and September lesoir.be/424125/article…
You certainly need *some* sort of connecting theme for social democracy other than generalised complaint and @PaulMagnette‘s argument that says “freedom’s no good unless you can use it” has appeal both in liberal and statist directions (and problems in both too).
Speaking personally I prefer the language of power for citizens and individuals rather than effective freedom, which risks being a bit wonkish, but that’s why I run a citizen participation organisation, I suppose.
I guess the question is whether the multiple layers of concertation to come will give more or less clarity to the question of what this all means. To take the most touchy example for PS, I think effective freedom means that women who want to wear a headscarf should be allowed to,
and those who don’t want to shouldn’t be forced to, but there are plenty, not just on here, who would say that I was betraying social democracy to think that.
Originally posted as a thread of 5 tweets on Twitter on 15 February 2022. View the original thread.