Tuesday 28 May 2013

Longing for the Good Society



"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea."
- Antoine de Saint Exupéry

On Saturday 8th June in Glasgow , Compass are holding an event to which all are invited to have a conversation about ‘ A Good Society for Scotland’ . We hope that any open minded  people from any political party and none will come along because as we know politics is too important to be left to the politicians.

We have just lived through an age dominated by the ideas of individual consumerism and selfish competition so its perhaps understandable and justifiable that those that disagree with this story of our society have many grievances.

Stating what we don’t want is important and exposing the injustice and failures of current political, social and economic arrangements a foundation for change. 

But for those who want to transform Scotland much more is required. We have to begin to tell a story of a possible Scotland. A Scotland of equality, of meaningful work and pastimes, of more carefree time and greater bonds of fellowship  and friendship.

This is not a utopian idea of a perfect society but a pragmatic approach to a better one . Both to know where Compass points and to build support for a politics of a good society we must begin to convey what it looks and feels like to live in that good Society . Even then this is not enough we have to plan and implement a politics that will move us significantly in that direction. The question of further devolution or full independence is clearly not irrelevant to this discussion and we hope to start to map a way through this divide in Scotland’s left. 

Please come and join us with a range of speakers (including Professor Ruth Lister, Patrick Harvie MSP, Sarah Boyak MSP, Ann Henderson STUC, Katherine Trebeck, Oxfam and many more..)   to stimulate discussion and lots of ways to share your ideas. We need your help in thinking through a good society. 


  Willie Sullivan

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