Advocating social democracy

In recent times, the excesses of unregulated capitalism, even within a democratic society, has led to a widening gap between the rich and the poor, and the growth of social injustice. People who want to change this unjust environment have often resorted to supporting populism and the rise of authoritarian government, in an effort to lessen the power of the elites and the economic oligarchy.

This rise of populism, however, has led to more injustices and instead of reforming capitalism, has contributed to the rise of crony capitalism.

So far, the best alternative to correcting the excesses of unregulated socialism is the ideology of “social democracy.” Social democracy is a political, economic and social system that combines the principles of a free market economy with the values of social justice. It promotes policies designed to correct the inequities inherent in capitalism by fostering economic equality, ensuring access of the working class to welfare benefits and regulating the economy to protect workers and the environment.

Social democracy supports democracy as the form of government and believes, however, that political democracy should always be accompanied by social and economic reforms to improve the conditions of the working class. It is unlike socialism which advocates for the public ownership of the means to regulate and reform it in ways that ensure fairness and equity in a society.

A central feature of social democracy is the provision of universal welfare programs including health care, education and guaranteed wages designed to guarantee basic living standards and a living wage for all citizens.

Political parties that identify with social democracy can be found across the globe, often with a center-left coalition. The ideology of social democracy typically emphasizes the importance of both individual freedoms and collective responsibility. Social democratic parties advocate for policies that enhance economic fairness and reduce inequality without totally dismantling the capitalist system.

Around the world, several countries have implemented social democratic policies with varying degrees of success. For example, the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD) is one of the oldest and most prominent social democratic parties in the world.

At present, the most prominent social democratic party that is in power is the Labor Party in the United Kingdom, which flourished under past prime ministers like Clement Attlee and Tony Blair, who promoted policies that blended market economy principles with welfare state protection. Other notable parties include the Swedish Democratic Party and the Norwegian Labor Party.

In the United States, this movement is led by Senator Bernie Sanders.

In the Philippines, social democracy has not yet fully developed in the way it has in Scandinavian countries. However, the country’s political landscape has begun to emerge with social democratic thought. The original PDP-Laban under the leadership of Aquilino Pimentel Jr. included elements of social democratic ideology. In fact, at its beginning, members of the PDP-Laban took their oath of membership with a raised left hand, unlike the usual right hand.

In the post-Marcos era, various progressive leaders, especially those within the Akbayan party, have pushed for social reforms and more robust public services for education, health and social justice. Though still developing, ideas central to social democracy such as inclusive welfare programs and a more equitable distribution of wealth have begun to slowly influence the political dialogue in the Philippines.

Several well-known figures in the world have advanced the ideology of social democracy. Tony Blair, former prime minister of the UK, said: “Social democracy has always been about expanding freedom by making sure that all people have the resources they need to live a decent life.” Olof Palme, former prime minister of Sweden, said, “True social democracy is about equality, liberty and solidarity. It is about creating a society where no one is left behind.”

Barack Obama, former US president, said: “A fair society is one where everyone is treated with respect, where the opportunities for success are available to all, not just a few.”

For those who would like to know more about this ideology of social democracy, here are a few books I recommend for further reading:

• Social Democracy in the Global Periphery: Origins, Challenges, Prospects by Mark Edelman, Richard Sandbrook, Patrick Heller, Judith Teichman (Cambridge University Press, 2006). This focuses on social-democratic regimes in the developing world that have, to varying degrees, reconciled the needs of achieving growth through globalized markets with extensions of political, social and economic rights.

• The Primacy of Politics and the Making of Europe’s Twentieth Century by Sheri Berman (Cambridge University Press, 2006). Political history in the industrial world has indeed ended, argues this pioneering study, but the winner has been social democracy.

• The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy by Anthony Giddens (Polity Press, 1998). This book outlines the development of social democracy in the modern world, arguing that social democracy can adapt to new economic realities by focusing on “the third way” which blends market mechanisms with social protections.

The basic weakness of our Philippine political parties is the lack of an ideology. The only exception is Akbayan. Social democracy is a dynamic political ideology for the Filipino political party that seeks to merge a belief in democracy and human rights while seeking to create a more equitable society and ensuring social justice for all.