The New Politics of Inequality, Essay Example

The Conscience of a Liberal is a book on American history written by Krugman Paul and is set in the perspective of economic inequality. The politics of inequality is also a reemerging theme addressed by Krugman in this book with a clear analysis of the events that led to the “New Deal” in America (Norton & Company). The pages of the book 198 to 213 give a clear historical explanation for how these events came up in the US. Krugman asserts that the American nation went through what he calls a “Long Gilded Age” of capitalism until the new social order had been created by the New Deal characterized by leveling in taxes and income, strong labour unions, job security and a general social bliss.

The new politics of inequality that are addressed in these pages with a dismal state of affairs and this makes the Democratic Party not to be held blameless. It is apparent that the Democrats embrace essentially discordant identity of politics ad their unaccepted yokels of politics were considered a mere moral commitment and spiritual loyalty to the less important that the least wage or even the Act on the Endangered species. He asserts that “There hasn’t been any corresponding radicalization of the Democratic Party, so the right-wing takeover of the G.O.P. is the underlying cause of today’s bitter partisanship” that exists between the Democrats and the Republicans. There is no two to tango between the Republicans and the democrats and the modern conservatism held by the Republicans “an almost embarrassingly simple story.” For all the evident evils of political inequalities that come out in these pages, it is important to note that it is possible to repudiate the daydream “bipartisan compromise” and affirm that “to be a progressive, then, means being a partisan — at least for now.” Certainly it is more intent to settle on issues of neocon adversaries which are worse than the progressive conditions to irritating policy issue.

Reference

The Conscience of a Liberal”. W. W. Norton & Company. http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail.aspx?ID=5887. Retrieved 2010-01-12.