Social democracy now
Think tank: Fabian Society
Author(s): Ed Wallis
April 22, 2025
This report from UK think tank the Fabian Society argues that communitarianism provides the roadmap the left needs today.
Communitarianism has long been part of the Fabian story, most notably developed by G.D.H. Cole and R.H. Tawney. But until now, it has been a subplot — overshadowed by the big-state, democratic collectivism associated with the Webbs.
As the social, economic, and environmental contours of the world shift, Ed Wallis argues that Labour needs communitarianism more than ever. Its focus on the equality of power providing social democrats a toolkit to help support communities to live together in the way they choose.
In this reappraisal of communitarian thinking, Wallis advocates for a more participatory form of democracy, backed by a policy platform and guiding philosophy designed to secure electoral success and build a society rooted in shared values.
