Author Archives: John Lubbock

John Lubbock

Agenda 2020 Essay #17: What it means to be a Liberal Democrat today

By John Lubbock | Tue 3rd November 2015 - 3:03 pm

Editor’s Note: The party is currently running an essay competition for members of the Liberal Democrats, to submit 1000 words on the theme “What it means to be a Liberal Democrat today.” The deadline for contributions was yesterday. If you would like us to publish your submission, send it to [email protected].

I’m not going to tell you what it means to be a Liberal Democrat. I’m going to tell you what it means to be a Liberal.

Party fortunes come and go, but the Liberal Project is proud list of social achievements which have improved the lives of of millions of people across the world since the time of the Enlightenment. It’s a tradition of thought that aspires to create a world that is always better than the one in which we live, and for that reason it is fundamentally optimistic and looks to empower the best of human nature. Our capacity for compassion and empathy, generosity, rationality, forgiveness and the knowledge that while any person is still oppressed by injustice of any kind, I myself cannot be truly free.

Continue reading »
Posted in Op-eds | Tagged | 5 Comments
Advert

Recent Comments

  • paul barker
    I have found the Rebirth & Expansion of The Far-Right extremely depressing. We need to admit to ourselves that We, the whole of The Liberal/Progressive/Femi...
  • Jana
    @Peter Martin “ You might well end up thinking the 60% of median incomes level is too conservative” You make my point for me. A definition of poverty ba...
  • Geoff Reid
    Well done Glasgow and a wider Scotland. However we are left with a Britain in which alas if you have loads of money and tell loads of lies you can get lots of "...
  • Mark Smulian
    This debate is rather academic so long as the construction industry's skill shortages remain unsolved. This report last year from a large social landlord throws...
  • Neil Sandison
    Jason Connor as a council tenant i do take umbrage at the language used. And rightly so renters .council ,social , or private are a significant part of our adul...