Abundance is part of the global social democracy response to populism, which is to move from pronouns to prices. Less moralising about people’s consumption, and a focus instead on producing, building and creating. Solve the housing crisis by building houses. Increase wages by building infrastructure and investing. It rejects the form of leftism that makes consultation the priority.
One version of leftism says you can only build houses that are carbon zero, use natural fibres, cap water and power usage, owned locally, and use union labour in construction. The abundance version says the priority is to get the house built.
The first Labour parties around the world made their peace with capitalism a century ago, and dedicated themselves to winning office to govern in the interests of working people. And ever since, the further left has sneered at the mainstream that it is less authentic, a sort of Diet Green version of the real thing.
In the past, the sneers came from Marxists. They had to be defeated in argument just as much as the libertarian and authoritarian right.
Today’s progeny declare roads to be right-wing, along with SUVs, talkback radio, flags and reality TV. Conversely, film festivals, vegetables, trains, and any Oscar-winning movie are the acceptable left-wing signifiers.
Politics is about the choices we make about how to live. It requires inconvenient facts to be faced, and tough decisions about trade-offs.
Josie's Post column is here.