Reassessing Corbynism: success, contradictions and a difficult path ahead

[LeftishBrit]

24. 'The EU didn't exist when Labour created the post-war social welfare state'

No, and it definitely didn't exist from 1939 to 1945. At least the EU is one of the things that contributes to peace in Europe.

Attlee was in my opinion one of our greatest Prime Ministers ever, and his government did a great job of creating the social welfare state - BUT they did impose austerity in various ways: for example, they continued with the rationing of food and clothes. Postwar Britain struggled badly economically. People lived in overcrowded homes; even middle-class people were mostly unable to afford what would now be considered as adequate heating in winter; and working-class people mostly had only outside loos. People died of chest complaints brought on by air pollution and unhealthy working conditions. Yes, Attlee and his government took us on an impressive upward trajectory from a very low point. But that does not mean that going back to 1950 would be a great idea for the country. A great government can cause massive improvements even under adverse conditions; but why should we deliberately impose adversity on ourselves? Moreover, Brexit did not receive a large majority of the vote (52% would not reach threshold for a constitutional change in most countries), and many of the people who voted for it are unlikely to vote Labour under any circumstances