Depoliticised and Politicised Governance

Jonathan BryantSimon Palme

• Which best characterises the UK?

“Depoliticisation…is the process of placing at one remove the political character of decision-making. State managers retain arm’s-length control over crucial economic and social processes whilst simultaneously benefiting from the distancing effects of depoliticisation.”

Burnham, P. (2001) New Labour and the politics of depoliticisation. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Vol. 3, No. 2, June 2001, p. 127

Depoliticised Governance• “politics of depoliticisation may cut across

the traditional left/right divide”

• “Independent central banks given greater responsibility for monetary policy”

• Relaxation/abolition of direct controls (production, consumption, exchange)

Burnham, P. (2001) New Labour and the politics of depoliticisation. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Vol. 3, No. 2, June 2001, pp. 129-131

Depoliticised Governance• Central government depoliticisation

– Governments delegating responsibility

• Transition of ownership public to private– Privatisation– Thatcher administration privatises rail– Neo liberal?

• Depoliticisation through Discourse– TINA– Inclusive language

(2)

Politicised Governance

• “Growth of public sector”

• “Large degree of public ownership and control”

• “Centralisation of policy-making”– E.g. Decisions on NHS budgets after

nationalisation 1948

Burnham, P. (2001) New Labour and the politics of depoliticisation. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Vol. 3, No. 2, June 2001, p. 130

• Direct controls over production, consumption and exchange

• More Keynesian by nature, higher

government borrowing and spending

• Treasury has formal responsibility for monetary policy

Politicised Governance (2)

Burnham, P. (2001) New Labour and the politics of depoliticisation. British Journal of Politics and International Relations, Vol. 3, No. 2, June 2001, p. 130

British Government?

“To convince capital of the fiscal probity and responsibility of their measures ... while sustaining a popular political project capable of providing a sufficient electoral base”.

Hay, C. (1997) Anticipating accommodations, accommodating anticipations: the appeasement of capital in the “modernization of the British Labour Party, 1987–1992”, Politics and Society, 25:2, pp. 235–236.

The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency

New Labour British Government

Current Coalition Government

BBC NEWS. (2015) Greater Manchester to control £6 bn NHS Budget. [Online] Available from:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-31615218 [Accessed: 25th February 2015].

Making central government less responsible

Current Coalition Government (2)

“State managers retain arm’s-length control”

Wright, B. (2014) Is central bank independence really such a brilliant concept? The Telegraph. [Online] Available from: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/11202670/Is-central-bank-independence-really-such-a-brilliant-concept.html [Accessed: 25th February 2015]

Conclusion

• UK is neither fully depoliticised or Politicised– Moving along the scale towards depoliticisation– Process rather than a static state

• Moving towards depoliticisation since the Thatcher administration

• Potential governing strategy of both left/right – However, more neo-liberal by nature

Questions?