Neal Lawson

Neal Lawson is Chair of the pressure group Compass and has written many pamphlets for the organisation on the themes of democracy and equality. He was author in 2009 of All Consuming (Penguin) and was co-editor in 2001 of the Progressive Century.

'Violent shopping': the riots and consumer capitalism

The report on England's riots recommends protecting children from excessive marketing. Too little, too late. If we want to prevent future riots, we have to kick back against consumer culture in its totality.

By Neal Lawson

/ 28 Mar 2012

Next steps for Britain's 'Jury of the People': a response to Anthony Barnett

An alliance of progressive organisations in Britain have launched a campaign for a People’s Jury to establish and uphold the “public interest”. Here, the head of Compass answers Anthony Barnett’s concerns about the initiative

By Neal Lawson

/ 4 Aug 2011

Democracy by machines or morals? Why the AV referendum matters to the Left

The future of the centre left in Britain is dependent on the AV referendum result. A Yes vote would open the doors to a new politics, fit for a fluid, decentralised world. This is Labour's opportunity to shake off a deadly, elitist culture and embrace pluralism, dialogue and democracy

By Neal Lawson

/ 15 Apr 2011

Labour must trust the people

Lenin is dead. And so, if you hadn’t noticed, are Sidney and Beatrice Webb. Yet the Labour Party is still in the grip of the politics of elitism. For the party to reclaim power, it must lay these ghosts to rest and embrace democracy - not as a means to grab state power, but as an end in itself.

By Neal Lawson

/ 12 Feb 2011

Social democracy: in crisis the world over

The crisis of social democracy is closely linked to that of capitalism. How should it respond to the sharp reminder that the interests of capital and labour are not identical?

By Neal Lawson

/ 7 Feb 2011

Beyond bureaucracy and market

The bureaucratic state of the mid-20th century ran its useful course, and the attempt to return to a mythical nineteenth century market state failed us. Sociologist Zygmunt Bauman helps us to think our way beyond both

By Neal Lawson

/ 22 Sep 2010

The Left and the Big Society II: Neal Lawson

How will the left respond to the clear challenge of the Conservatives' Big Society project? Niki Seth Smith is asking the leading people and institutions on the left how they view the idea, as part of OK's debate on the Challenge of the Big Society. Neal Lawson, chair of Compass, furthers the disc

By Neal Lawson

/ 21 Sep 2010

The Labour case for AV

In an important new pamphlet, seeking to persuade his party of the need to fight for reform in the forthcoming referendum on AV, Neal Lawson, chair of Compass, sets out why democracy should matter to Labour. Lawson argues that empowering the collective voice of the people will help achieve Labour'

By Neal Lawson

/ 10 Sep 2010

Is shopping all bad?

When we shop are we exercising our freedom? Or are we more like prisoners exercising in the yard under supervision? Is the consumer market a realm of democracy, or of

By Neal Lawson

/ 10 Jan 2010