Twenty years on from 1989, few people still believe that goodwill and dollars alone can solve the world’s problems. But perhaps the last vestige of post-1989 utopianism has survived among the new media apostles who argue that authoritarian states can be brought low by the internet. Evgeny Morozov’s cover essay is a vivid rebuttal of that idea—best summed up by the American comedian Jon Stewart’s retort to those who think the web is freeing Iraqis, Iranians and Afghans: “What, we could have liberated them over the internet? Why did we send an army when we could do it the same way we buy shoes?”
David Cameron’s Tories are not so naive as to believe that Twitter will bring down tyrants, but they maintain an attractive optimism about new technologies and politics in general. Optimism is easier in opposition, but in early November Cameron’s Hugo Young lecture, on the theme “big society, rather than big state,” re-established a coherent liberal message after his rather dotty party conference speech, which almost advocated abolishing the state altogether. Listening to his lecture, it was possible to believe again that the Tories have put the Major, Hague, IDS and Howard years behind them and might combine the best of New Labour with a keener appreciation of the unintended consequences of state action. But there are reasons for scepticism too. First, it is easy to express concern about poverty and inequality to a Guardian audience.
Yet the rise in inequality stems mostly from two Tory measures in the 1980s: tax reductions for the well off and financial deregulation. Cameron has no intention of reversing either, so how will he improve on Labour’s patchy record? Second, the Cameron liberals are a thin slice at the top of the party and could get swept aside. Third, the Tories have recently shown serious lapses of judgement. Appointing General Richard Dannatt as a defence adviser astonished some people who know his beliefs in non-military matters. And William Hague’s campaign against Tony Blair’s EU presidency bid—more effective than is generally realised—was an act of unpatriotic party political spite.
If we are staying in Europe we must make it work for us. John Major sulked on the margins, but after 1997 Blair bent the EU to our national interest on defence, enlargement, liberalisation and so on. As president he would have helped to reconcile the British public to European realities. Cameron is more pragmatic on Europe, but Hague may call the shots in the event of a narrow Tory victory which will empower Eurosceptic MPs. Does that mean pro-EU liberals have to hope for a thumping Tory victory?
This article first appeared in December's print edition of Prospect magazine
