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An interesting corollary to this is the argumentation of Emmanuel Todt (see marco's After Democracy diary). He says that the empowerment, self-reliance created by the expansion of higher education (which, as JakeS says, was very much center-left policy) also reduced people's sense of community, of shared (esp. class) destiny, and thus even society itself.

*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.
by DoDo on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 04:23:59 AM EST
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That's partly true. I think geography had an influence too - if you live with people and work with people, it's hard not to feel like you're all in something together.

But I'd distinguish between community and class consciousness. I think the Progressive idea of community is largely wishful thinking - I don't think 'good' communities ever actually existed.

Most real communities would have been harsh places, and some people will have paid a high price for the economic solidarity they offered.

by ThatBritGuy (thatbritguy (at) googlemail.com) on Thu Dec 4th, 2008 at 12:52:23 PM EST
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