2025 summary

Is the future one of unlimited choice, the good life, a new puritanism or a retreat from global concerns? The Fabian pamphlet 2025 examines four Henley Centre scenarios for how British public attitudes could change.

 

'2025: What next for the Make Poverty History generation?' was launched in the House of Commons on 6 July by Hilary Benn, the Secretary of State for International Development.

  • British attitudes to the world will be crucial in eliminating global poverty.
  • New data shows individualism stronger than community spirit in Britain.
  • Clare Short argues we must make poverty history at home as well.

Britain came a long way between Live Aid in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005. A new Fabian pamphlet, '2025: What next for the Make Poverty History generation?', asks what the next twenty years could hold. What positive vision for 2025 is needed to keep the British public mobilised?

Hilary Benn, Robert Cooper, Tom Hampson, Clare Short and Vandana Shiva set out their own visions of global change and the politics needed to make them a reality.

What will become of the Make Poverty History generation?

Despite Live 8, individualism is now stronger than community. For the first time since 1994, according to Henley data, a majority of people says that looking after ourselves is more important to quality of life than looking after our communities.

Michelle Harrison outlines Henley research which identified four possible futures for the British in 2025:

  • Scenario 1: Choice Unlimited, where British consumer culture gets stronger in 2025, ethical consumption becomes less mainstream and international issues only engage people sporadically.
  • Scenario 2: The 'Good' Life, where community engagement grows and government is under increasing pressure from the public to focus on global social and environmental justice issues.
  • Scenario 3: The Puritans Return, where we focus much more on local issues, there is a growing degree of puritanical self-righteousness and government is expected to set a 'moral' agenda at home.
  • Scenario 4: My Home, My Castle, where the British look inward, community suspicion grows and government is encouraged to focus on British rather than international issues.

In this unique collaborative project, the Fabian Society has worked with Henley Centre Headlight Vision to identify the forces which will shape the world and our attitudes over the next two decades, and to ask what this will mean for those campaigning for global justice. How could attitudes towards Britain's global role and responsibilities change? Who will we hold responsible for global problems and will we accept the need to bring about change in our own lives?

The pamphlet is not an attempt to predict the future but to rehearse possible futures, and to ask what progressives must do to bring about greater global justice and sustainability.

Tom Hampson, Editorial Director of the Fabian Society says:

"The question this generation wants answered is whether protest and politics ever really get us anywhere. Public cynicism, disappointment and disillusionment now could put the progress made last year at risk.

Those of us in progressive politics must be clear about our vision of how we want to live and describe Britain's relationship with the world. This vision should be based in a belief in democracy and good governance, but, just as strongly, in a passion for equality, justice and the desire to use globalisation as a force for good."

How to get '2025: What next for the Make Poverty History generation?'

The Fabian Society is grateful to TUFM for their support of this project.

 
Fabian Society