Social Liberalism Reeves Has Produced a Lucid and Perceptive

REVIEWS This link, which came to Reeves has who constantly stimulated and and economic thought to dominate Liberal politics in the encouraged him to explore social and political history and days of Beveridge and Keynes, produced new ideas and venture into gender studies – Reeves has was first identified by Mill, for a lucid and uncharted and difficult territo- produced a lucid and percep- whom finding the right bal- ries, even when this involved tive synthesis, which pays equal ance between individualism perceptive standing up to public opinion attention to Mill’s life and the and social responsibility was a and challenging contemporary development of his ideas. The moral imperative as well as the synthesis, political correctness. book has a predominantly main question in modern social One of the areas in which chronological structure, but engineering. which pays Mill was a resolute ‘noncon- each chapter has also a strong Reeves brings to life this equal atten- formist’ was in his attitude to thematic focus, which enables extraordinary figure in a sym- racial prejudice. In a famous the author to study the various pathetic but critical biography, tion to Mill’s revisionist account, Mehta has dimensions and developments a comprehensive study which criticised Mill for his ‘Oriental- of Mill’s thought and career in reveals – ‘warts and all’ – the life and the ist’ attitudes to India.3 An Ori- their historical and biographi- multifaceted personality of this entalist he may have been, but cal context. The result is a great philosopher-man of action. development without any consistent sense of historical biography, which the It must be said that there are of his ideas. imperial superiority; in fact he general reader will find riveting not many ‘warts’, but Mill was was often critical and dismissive and the professional academic no saint, let alone ‘the Saint of the claims and pretensions of indispensable. of Rationalism’ as Gladstone the European powers, arguing, dubbed him – at least not in the for example, that ‘the character- Eugenio F. Biagini is a Lecturer in sense of being only motivated istic of Germany is knowledge History at Sidney Sussex College by some cool utilitarian calcu- without thought; of France, Cambridge, and Reviews Editor of lus of costs and benefits. On the thought without knowledge; the Journal of Liberal History. contrary, he was passionate to of England, neither knowledge an excess, often allowing his nor thought’ (cit. pp.220–21). In 1 M. St J. Packe, The Life of John Stu- emotions to drive him beyond his days he was in fact criticised art Mill (Seker & Warburg, 1954); prudence. His personal auster- for his racial egalitarianism, an but see also the recent short biogra- ity and principled approach to attitude which was perceived as phy by W. Stafford,John Stuart Mill public affairs were somehow out of step not only with public (Macmillan, 1998). ‘saintly’, but Reeves puts them opinion, but also with what the 2 John Robson et al (eds.), The Col- in context and shows how Mill majority regarded as ‘a fact’ – lected Works of John Stuart Mill (33 could also be extremely prickly namely, the notion of a cultural volumes, University of Toronto and unforgiving, especially (or even biological) superiority Press and Routledge & Kegan Paul, when it came to what he per- of the ‘white man’ over the rest 1965ñ91). ceived as affronts to his beloved of the human species. 3 U. Singh Mehta, Liberalism and friend, intellectual partner and Mastering a bibliography Empire (University of Chicago (eventually) wife, Harriet Tay- which is not only vast but also Press, 1999). See also Lynn Zas- lor. It did not help that she was multidisciplinary – ranging toupil, John Stuart Mill and India also touchy and self-centred. from the history of political (Stanford University Press, 1994). Reeves offers a persuasive reassessment of their relation- ship and her influence on him. This is an area which has attracted considerable debate, Social Liberalism largely because Mill was always extravagantly generous in his Duncan Brack, Richard S. Grayson and David Howarth (eds.): praise of Harriet’s gifts and Reinventing the State: Social Liberalism for the 21st Century contribution to his intellectual development. Weighing care- (Politico’s, 2007) fully the evidence, Reeves Reviewed by Neil Stockley suggests that she should not be regarded as either the insti- gator of Mill’s most radical views (for example on gender EINVENTING THE State Its then leader, Sir Menzies equality and ‘socialism’), or as appeared on the eve of the Campbell, was achieving little a boastful mediocrity. Instead, RLiberal Democrats’ 2007 traction with the public and the Harriet was for him primarily autumn conference. This was Liberal Democrats were lan- an intellectual companion, a difficult time for the party. guishing in the opinion polls. Journal of Liberal History 60 Autumn 2008 51 REVIEWS Within weeks, the party was adopted by the party in autumn accept. Duncan Brack makes looking for a new leader, its 2006, reiterated the Liberal a powerful argument that the third in as many years. Democrats’ commitment to current level of social inequal- With the party in an uncer- ‘a fairer … much less unequal ity in Britain undermines tain situation, its social liber- society’, with ‘decisions taken individuals’ personal freedom als sought to assert themselves near to those they affect’ and – their ability to participate anew. The Guardian claimed ‘public services that … involve fully in society – along with the that the Liberal Democrats’ ‘left those that use them … and well-being of the community. wing’ had published Reinvent- make full use of the talents and Ed Randall argues that unfet- ing the State as the start of an imagination of their staff’. The tered market action will lead to attempt to ‘take on the domi- party also renewed its commit- greater environmental degrada- nant pro-market Orange Book ment to protecting the environ- tion. Tim Farron MP contends faction’ and ‘wrest control of the ment as ‘an urgent priority’. All that rural communities have party’.1 That was a case of over- the candidates for the leadership been deprived of opportunities spin. The Orange Book received a in 2006 and 2007 promised in housing and employment and cool reception from most of the that social justice, reforming local farmers left exposed to the party when it was published in the state and safeguarding the power of monopolies. 2004, and its most contentious environment would be their The authors contend that recommendation, to reshape the priorities. a mixture of state and collec- NHS using a social insurance Still, Dr Richard Grayson, tive responses must be taken if model, was widely criticised. one of the editors of Reinventing such market failures are to be Social liberalism has always the State and a former Liberal addressed. The pivotal issue is been the dominant strand in the Democrat Director of Policy, the forms that such responses Liberal Democrats’ philosophy. was quoted as saying that the should take. The contribu- The party’s continued support publication sought ‘to influ- tors differ from the ‘economic for an activist state and its poli- ence the manifesto, so it will liberals’ in arguing that the cies on taxation and redistribu- put issues such as social justice best way to promote economic tion of income, public services, and the environment at its heart equality is to radically reform and the environment are all and will be an avowedly centre- the state, rather than to reduce testament to that.2 The policy left manifesto’. He added: ‘I it in size or rely on market- review paper Trust in People, think we are pushing at an open based policy solutions. They are door’.3 sceptical about the market and If social liberalism is predom- its tendency to erode personal inant in the Liberal Democrats, freedoms (in their broadest and Dr Grayson was correct, sense) and community cohesion. it follows that the analysis and Paul Holmes MP, for instance, prescriptions presented in Rein- argues strenuously that markets venting the State are of central are an imperfect tool for deliv- importance for the future of the ering social policy objectives. party. So what do the ‘social ‘Social liberals’ are, however, liberals’ have to say? just as suspicious of the central- The core idea of the ised state and its propensity to twenty-two contributions is, be coercive, bureaucratic and in the words of the editors, out of touch with peoples’ needs ‘reinvent[ing] the British state and concerns. This is where so that it delivers social justice they part company with the and environmental sustainabil- ‘social democrats’. ity through a decentralised and The ‘social liberals’’ main participatory democracy’. solution to social and economic ‘Social liberals’, as repre- inequality is ‘localism’. This is sented here, perceive that, for forcefully articulated by Chris some twenty years, British Huhne MP, who defines it as political debate has focused ‘the decentralisation not just on promoting the values and of management decisions but virtues of the market. In con- of political responsibility to a trast to the ‘economic liberals’, human scale where voters can they argue that such a reli- once again identify – and com- ance on markets has led – or, plain to, or praise, or boot out if unchecked, could lead – to – decision makers in their com- outcomes that liberals cannot munity’. In a compelling piece, 52 Journal of Liberal History 60 Autumn 2008 REVIEWS Huhne builds a democratic, individuals real control over In an incisive manifesto. One of the reasons liberal case for localism, argu- their lives that we can create was, apparently, that party ing that it will help to revive opportunities for all’.4 In March essay, David strategists sought to position confidence and participation in 2008, the party adopted a new Howarth MP the Liberal Democrats as being politics.

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