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EVERY FOUR YEARS, WHEN THE BRITISH AND other Europeans watch with shock, awe, and incomprehension the presidential contest that convulses the United States, I'm reminded of President Julius Nyerere's joking [...]

Issues concerning the Labour and Conservative parties in England are examined, focusing on the relationship the parties have to US and European politics. Topics include the link between US and English liberalism and European and English conservatism.

Political fiction became a well-established and influential genre during the twentieth century. These popular political novels use dramatic portrayals of government agencies, secret agents, and common political processes combined with complex plots to influence political ideology and promote democratic beliefs.

Historians have called the series of European failed revolutions in 1848 the Springtime of Nations. Those events were unable to meet the expectations appended to them, and did not succeed because they could not bridge the gap between political needs for democracy and economic needs for stability. Switzerland avoided this trap by creating a state that changes its president every year, has no single language, and puts nearly all matters to a popular vote.

Britain's reinvention of its Labor Party was a response to political pressure and to a historical tradition that was no longer applicable to modern times. By embracing a form of socialism, the Labor Party has incorporated the ideology necessary for change and provided a viable alternative to the Conservatives, extending its practical application beyond its limited historiography.

Progressive politics can challenge the right by reinterpreting the traditional right-wing concepts of work, family and nation. Progressives must develop practical means to implement full employment, restoring and validating families regardless of how close to traditional models they are, and the formal recognition of multiculturalism as a source of national strength.

British adolescents may become the source for radical reform. The generation that came of age in 1968 generally rejected the concepts of sacrifice, responsibility and cooperation, but the 16-18-year-olds' response to examining the works of Thomas Paine suggests that group can be inspired by the ideas of social justice and individual rights. Acceptance of the status quo will probably be overturned when these adolescents mature.

The world is not running out of work, as some theorists have claimed, but the work that there is is not well distributed. Those who have jobs are working longer hours, whereas others have no work at all. In 1995, overtime hours logged amounted to the equivalent of 1.7 million additional jobs at 39 hours per week. The political economist Paul Hirst has suggested that the current global economic situation represents a return to the conditions of the 'belle epoque' before World War I, when shorter work hours became a labor issue.

The new paradigm of leftist politics emerging has a mix of old and new values, new in contrast to the British socialism which was based on the nation-state and the heritage of the Empire and the Commonwealth, post-national economics instead assumes a place. This new leftist politics as yet lacks a spokesperson as well as a utopian vision, but some are trying to fashion new utopias based on such ideas as ecology, gender equality or anti-globalization.

Intellectuals and the media need to form a relationship with the British Labour party based on a search for truth, new insights, and cooperation as the century comes to an end. The media and intellectuals have gone from the extreme of doting admiration of Margaret Thatcher to vicious attacks on John Major without a solid idea of their motivation or consequences of their action. As the political tide moves to the center the harsh critics may find their behavior self-defeating.

The Bundesbank and the Bank of England stand at the center of Germany's and England's transition to a united Europe. The more democratic institutions of Germany seem better equipped to weather the change. The Bundesbank has to give up some power to Europe, while the Bannk of England has to win back some control over the use of its money. England's fear of Europe stems partly from fear of what it might do to the Bank of England.

The intergovernmental conference (IGC) of the European Union, 1996, will focus on various problems of the EU and it will have an impact on the socio-economic and political structure of the UK. The IGC will debate over the constitution of the EU, its economic policy, defense cooperation, the issue of subsidized agriculture and the working pattern of the European Parliament. The IGC debate may induce the UK to reform its political, social and economic structure to enable it to merge completely with the EU.

The writings of Jacques Attali, former President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, exemplify the difference between the British and French political scene. In France, there is faith in people's ability to make history. Policy makers such as Attali influence the course of socio-political developments through their persuasive writings. British politicians disregard the importance of writing. They will have to believe in the power of writing to influence history before they can make historic changes.

The wide disparity between bosses and workers in American companies cause unrest among labor groups, hence hamper work output. American managements are advised to learn from examples set by their European and Asian counterparts., Labor policy in the United States has been marked by two self-defeating attitudes. First, while public policy prescribes a ritualized system of collective bargaining, in most substantive areas policy is [...]

Sir,--Those who ever heard George Osborne speak in the House of Commons will be astonished to learn from Neil Berry that he was a 'leading Europhile' (Commentary, March 29). Osborne [...]