Left/Right, Rampant Cross-Dressing

WRT the 18 comments on left vs. right below, Tony Blair tells us that the traditional divide between left and right no longer applies across much of modern public policy. I do like his use of "rampant cross-dressing" to describe the manner in which politicians are nicking each others' ideas. Note however that he still claims that left/right divides persist over "basic values." Perhpas he's referring to David Cameron, who is currently wearing distinctly green clothing, yet still advocates "sharing the proceeds of growth" - i.e. cutting taxes and reducing spending on the NHS etc.

Whatever the implications for national politics, Blair's speech was directed more at the wider world; he says the important distinction these days is between "globalisers" and "closed, protectionist, nativist" types. He likes making these sorts of distinctions, I think it lets him simultaneously have a go at political Islam and the French (he was speaking to News Corp execs in America). Given the collapse of the Doha round, it's apt to moan about people rejecting globalisation in favour of nationalist/protectionist policies. The Economist this week (no point linking as it's subscription-only) is livid about the trade thing, and rightly so.