Maslow in politics or Systematic Ideology

Politics is a Maslowian hierarchy – the base is security, the middle is delivery (or competence) and at the top is aspiration – the kind of country and society they want to live. If you cannot convince on security – economic, homeland, national, environmental – then you aren’t heard on public services. If you are not trusted on delivery of health and education then it does not matter what your vision of the good society is – however wonderful. Too often the left starts with collective aspiration and all the great things we can do, forgetting the scaffolding. Map where Labour is and where the Tories are. Be honest – whole sight, or all the rest is desolation. And then plan how to wrest topics from the Tories one by one, and own and occupy them for Labour. A fight over hospital deficits is about competence not about privatisation – the former disconfirms and damages the overall Tory brand, the latter just makes Labour feel good. Cuts to tax credits and job losses in steel are about insecurity domestically and globally. Always attach the stories, messages and actions of the day