Broadbent's Criticism Of Social Democracy

Broadbent’s 1999 piece Social democracy: Past and future, while clearly intending to convince the general public of the benefits of social democracy, is categorised by broad, generalised statements combined with a consistent lack of evidence which weakens and clouds the validity of the author’s argument. In addition to this, the passionate and unverified slander of opposing ideologies creates an unequal balance of intense vilification and prejudiced praise instead of a stable exposition.

Broadbent begins his piece by setting the tone of criticism of liberalism, neoliberalism and neoconservatism, terms which he incorrectly uses interchangeably, by implying that the policies of these market-based ideologies “deliberately exclude any consideration
While these claims are persuasive, they further highlight the fatal flaw within Broadbent’s work: absence of evidence. There are also instances where Broadbent embarks on obscure tangents which significantly hinder the validity of his work as a legitimate academic piece, such as in his unpersuasive statement that under social democracy “listening to Bach, playing baseball, or drinking beer and talking with friends on a sunny afternoon become real options” (Broadbent: 1999, 48). As his final point, Broadbent proposes that social democracy awards greater freedom than market-based ideologies because people are free “from the compulsive and restrictive elements of the market” (Broadbent: 1999, 48), and so he begins the next component of the piece with a question of what is to be
Broadbent also makes a final sweeping claim which conforms to his exposed habit of blatantly ignoring the need for evidence in his instruction that “the elites … need to be reminded that earlier in this century laissez-faire capitalism denied real freedoms to millions, exacerbated class conflict, and contributed to the destruction of some European democracies while seriously destabilizing them all” (Broadbent: 1999, 52). He instructs the large demographic of North Atlantic Leftist governments to “use this moment in history wisely,” whatever that vague implication entails, and comments that social citizenship, a term not yet used until the conclusion of the piece, could be a reality if social democratic parties and leaders remain committed to the “egalitarian essence of social democracy” (Broadbent: 1999, 52). Broadbent’s call to action lacks methodology and direction, and because it also serves as his conclusion, the efficiency of the work as a whole