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Can someone clever please explain what Progressive Policies are?

Tom2023Tom2023 Posts: 2,059
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The Left are forever using the term "Progressive Policies."

Can someone please explain what makes a policy progressive and what makes a policy unprogressive(?)
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    Ethel_FredEthel_Fred Posts: 34,127
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    Blairite or Cleggite
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,772
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    Hmmm is someone clever for you someone who has heard of google......?


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressivism
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    ZeronegativeZeronegative Posts: 9
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    Progressive policies are as follows.

    1. Borrow money - adding to the debt.
    2. Spend Money - mainly on public service so no return economically.
    3. Increase Welfare handouts to keep your core voters happy.
    4. Scotland only - Blame the English for everything which goes wrong in Scotland but take credit for everything which goes right (SNP tactics).
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    An ThropologistAn Thropologist Posts: 39,854
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    Hmmm is someone clever for you someone who has heard of google......?


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Progressivism

    I don't feel that this is how its been used recently by the alternative parties.

    They seem to have seized upon it as a word to contrast with conservative. The inference I am taking is that the conservative party are about conserving (the past) we are about progressing to the brave new world of the future.

    I may be quite wrong in doing so but I have been quietly filtering it out as empty rhetoric.
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    Black SheepBlack Sheep Posts: 15,219
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    Tom2023 wrote: »
    The Left are forever using the term "Progressive Policies."

    Can someone please explain what makes a policy progressive and what makes a policy unprogressive(?)

    Its an excellent phrase that can mean anything as it shows your supporters your forward thinking and the other parties just want to stagnate or regress.

    It is of course a soundbite.
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    nainznainz Posts: 1,777
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    Universally progressive = Social evolution resulting in perceived positive results, e.g. end of slavery, women's rites, right to vote are all big progressive changes.

    Seemingly not progressive = Bedroom tax or mansion tax which are both driven by ideological ideas form the left or right that state a fundamental fairness but effect people disproportionally at both end of the scale.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,772
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    I don't feel that this is how its been used recently by the alternative parties.

    They seem to have seized upon it as a word to contrast with conservative. The inference I am taking is that the conservative party are about conserving (the past) we are about progressing to the brave new world of the future.

    I may be quite wrong in doing so but I have been quietly filtering it out as empty rhetoric.

    Conservates have claimed to be progressive at times as well.

    Politically these terms are becoming meaningless sound bites (and their is an awful lot of lying too), but if you want a guide to what it actually means, I supplied that information.
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    clinchclinch Posts: 11,574
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    Tom2023 wrote: »
    The Left are forever using the term "Progressive Policies."

    Can someone please explain what makes a policy progressive and what makes a policy unprogressive(?)

    It's one of those meaningless marketing terms the supermarkets stick on food to con us - like 'natural' or 'country fresh'.
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    TassiumTassium Posts: 31,639
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    Anyone would think we are still experiencing the General Election!
    Some people just can't move on from the relentless negativity directed at Labour.

    What the Conservative support need to do now is promote their policies.
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    An ThropologistAn Thropologist Posts: 39,854
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    Conservates have claimed to be progressive at times as well.

    Politically these terms are becoming meaningless sound bites (and their is an awful lot of lying too), but if you want a guide to what it actually means, I supplied that information.

    You did and I appreciated it. :)
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,772
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    You did and I appreciated it. :)

    Fair enough then :)
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    An ThropologistAn Thropologist Posts: 39,854
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    Tassium wrote: »
    Anyone would think we are still experiencing the General Election!
    Some people just can't move on from the relentless negativity directed at Labour.

    What the Conservative support need to do now is promote their policies.

    Except for the posts directing negativity relentlessly at the Tories, Lib Dems, SNP and UKIP I suppose. Only the Greens and ..whoops just realised I have no idea how to spell Cllyd Cymrw (apologies) - seem to have come off unscathed so far.

    Spelling lesson next I think. :D
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    soulboy77soulboy77 Posts: 24,494
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    There is no hard and fast definition of what are 'Progressive' policies. Broadly speaking Progressivism is the continued advancement towards becoming a more civilised society. Progressive policies could target a whole multitude of areas - for example, in terms of standard of living, availability of healthcare, skills & education, job opportunities, tax regime, social safety nets, freedom of movement, freedom of speech, non-discrimination, human rights. Of course it is open to interpretation as to how 'progressive' some policies really are. Some maybe far reaching whilst some just tickle the edges, such in the world of politics.
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    D_Mcd4D_Mcd4 Posts: 10,438
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    Conservates have claimed to be progressive at times as well.

    Politically these terms are becoming meaningless sound bites (and their is an awful lot of lying too), but if you want a guide to what it actually means, I supplied that information.

    Which is strange because I would say "conservative" is practically the opposite of "progressive"!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,772
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    D_Mcd4 wrote: »
    Which is strange because I would say "conservative" is practically the opposite of "progressive"!

    Yep, hense the sentence that followed.
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    Peter the GreatPeter the Great Posts: 14,230
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    Progressive policies are as follows.

    1. Borrow money - adding to the debt.
    2. Spend Money - mainly on public service so no return economically.
    3. Increase Welfare handouts to keep your core voters happy.
    4. Scotland only - Blame the English for everything which goes wrong in Scotland but take credit for everything which goes right (SNP tactics).
    So the Tories are progressive then? I didn't know that? Because they have certainly done no.1.
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    James2001James2001 Posts: 73,670
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    It's just a meaningless soundbite that sounds good, but in all honest doesn't mean anything.
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    Mr_X_123Mr_X_123 Posts: 1,837
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    Progressive policies are as follows.

    1. Borrow money - adding to the debt.
    2. Spend Money - mainly on public service so no return economically.
    3. Increase Welfare handouts to keep your core voters happy.
    4. Scotland only - Blame the English for everything which goes wrong in Scotland but take credit for everything which goes right (SNP tactics).

    Why did the Tories borrow money for virtually every year they were in office between 1979-1997. Were they progressive too?
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    BrawladBrawlad Posts: 5,711
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    D_Mcd4 wrote: »
    Which is strange because I would say "conservative" is practically the opposite of "progressive"!

    I would think the opposite of progressive is reactionary ie the conservative party at present
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    D_Mcd4D_Mcd4 Posts: 10,438
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    Mr_X_123 wrote: »
    Why did the Tories borrow money for virtually every year they were in office between 1979-1997. Were they progressive too?

    "Victorian values"!
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    ShrikeShrike Posts: 16,608
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    Brawlad wrote: »
    I would think the opposite of progressive is reactionary ie the conservative party at present

    Surely the opposite of progressive is regressive? Again, could well be the Tories:p
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    Black SheepBlack Sheep Posts: 15,219
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    Brawlad wrote: »
    I would think the opposite of progressive is reactionary ie the conservative party at present

    Surely the opposite of progressive is regressive?

    OOf, poster above beat me to it.
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    BrawladBrawlad Posts: 5,711
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    Surely the opposite of progressive is regressive?

    OOf, poster above beat me to it.

    Antonyms for reactionary
    liberal
    progressive
    radical
    Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.
    Cite This Source
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    woodrowwoodrow Posts: 770
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    Progressive means refusing the £1.25 million in short money because you have the full weight of the Scottish civil service behind you. Oh hang on
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    AlrightmateAlrightmate Posts: 73,120
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    Its an excellent phrase that can mean anything as it shows your supporters your forward thinking and the other parties just want to stagnate or regress.

    It is of course a soundbite.

    I also think it creates the feeling within people that anything which is old is rubbish, and anything different is great, whatever it is.
    There could be a way of doing things from the past, or which is current, which works perfectly fine, but progressive politics would probably say that it's no good and we have to change it for the sake of changing it because we need to be progressive.

    Obviously there are some things which we needed to progress from, such as slavery, racism, homophobia, and equal rights for women. But it eventually comes to a point where you need a very strong argument for where progress is needed and where it isn't. There may even be a case sometimes to adopt a way of doing things from the past if it's appropriate.

    When Labour start waving the word progression around it doesn't mean anything if they're not using it to apply to something specific, it's completely hollow. It's as empty a promise as saying 'vote for CHANGE' where it isn't even made clear what they want to change from and to change to.
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