In Search of New Social Democracy - by Olle Törnquist (Paperback)

About the Book

"Why is the classical social democratic vision of development based on social justice by democratic means losing ground? Why was it so difficult to renew, even in the context of the third wave of democracy in the South? How does this matter in the North too, and how might it be reinvented? This accessible book brings to life major insights gained through interviews with a large range of activists and political protagonists in the southern cases of Indonesia, India, and the Philippines - but also in the northern social democratic stronghold of Sweden. By considering the experiences in view of the basics of Social Democracy and a broader comparative framework, Olle Tèornquist arrives at globally relevant conclusions. Olle Tèornquist outlines the difficulties facing the Global North and South in achieving the renewal of Social Democracy, beginning with authoritiarianism and market-driven globalization. Crucially, Tèornquist also puts forward suggestions for how to achieve this reinvention, namely through broad alliances in the Global South, supported by the Global North, for transformative rights and welfare reforms that are universal, participatory and impartially implemented which would serve as precursors to social economic growth pacts"--

Book Synopsis

Why is the classical social democratic vision of development based on social justice by democratic means losing ground? Why was it so difficult to renew, even in the context of the third wave of democracy in the South? How does this matter in the North too, and how might it be reinvented?

This accessible book brings to life major insights gained through written sources and interviews with a large range of activists and political protagonists in the southern cases of Indonesia, India, and the Philippines - but also in the northern social democratic stronghold of Sweden. By considering the experiences in view of the basics of Social Democracy and a broader comparative framework, Olle Törnquist arrives at globally relevant conclusions. Crucially, Törnquist also puts forward suggestions for how to achieve this reinvention social democracy. Through implementation of broad alliances in the Global South, supported by the Global North, for transformative rights and welfare reforms - universal, participatory and impartially implemented - precursors to social economic growth pacts can thus be effected.

Review Quotes

"In Search of New Social Democracy is a must read for all wanting to understand the global crisis of Social Democracy and why adjustment to current globalization is insufficient for the rebirth of a strong progressive movement. Törnquist convincingly argues that despite the root causes of the crisis steams from an untamed market driven globalisation the answers of Social Democracy far too often set aside the global dimensions. Only through an internationalist restart - based on broad alliances, North-South partnerships and transformative strategies fighting elitist democracy - can trust and support in Social Democracy be restored. Holding important keys to the reinvention of Social Democracy I am hopeful that Törnquist's "end-book" is not an end but rather a new beginning."
Anna Sundström, Secretary General, Olof Palme International Center, Stockholm, Sweden

"This is an absolutely remarkable book by one of our most incisive analysts of Social Democracy's limits and possibilities. The current volume is anchored in rigorous analytics, extensive and careful empirics, and animated by a comparative imagination (...) Based on an extensive career's worth of work, it is part global survey of the state of Social Democracy today, part personal reflection and narrative on a career well-spent, part rich portrait of the people and collectives who seek change, and part impassioned plea that we not abandon the promise of Social Democracy. (...) I am thankful he has written it as honestly as he has, for it is not a book about endings. As he shows, Social Democracy can - and must - be reinvented to reverse setbacks of recent years and face the global challenges of the ones ahead."
Gianpaolo Baiocchi, Professor, Global and Latin American social movements, Gallatin School, New York University, USA

Törnquist draws on insights accrued over a lifetime of research to explain why reformist social movements have not made more of a difference in India, Indonesia and the Philippines. Part personal memoir, part intellectual musing, this very accessible book delves into an eclectic selection of 'moments' across time in each of these settings, searching for hints that a social democratic vision for a new world order could yet prevail.
Michele Ford, Professor of Southeast Asian Studies, University of Sydney, Australia

About the Author

Olle Törnquist is Professor of Politics and Development, University of Oslo. He has written widely on radical politics, development and democratisation. His main empirical focus since the 1970s has been Indonesia, India and the Philippines, with Scandinavia and South Africa and Brazil as reference cases.