The aim of the thesis is to investigate today’s two different fortunes of the two centre-left parties in the United Kingdom and Germany, respectively the Labour Party and the Social Democratic...Show moreThe aim of the thesis is to investigate today’s two different fortunes of the two centre-left parties in the United Kingdom and Germany, respectively the Labour Party and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (henceforth, SPD). The research stems from the observation of a remarkably similar past, the Third Way, which had a specific significance on the political reshaping and rebranding of social democracy in these two countries. The Third Way is therefore taken as the starting point for a comparative analysis of two different situations in the current political scenario, with a Labour Party riding a new wave of success and a significantly weaker SPD. The thesis aims to tackle this puzzle through an analysis of the political narrative implemented by leaders Jeremy Corbyn and Martin Schulz during the simultaneous 2017 electoral campaign, specifically keeping in mind the legacies of the Third Way past.Show less
The thesis deals with the political decisions of three members of the British labour movement in the period 1911-1923: John Maclean, Will Thorne and Ben Tillett. In particular, whether and why they...Show moreThe thesis deals with the political decisions of three members of the British labour movement in the period 1911-1923: John Maclean, Will Thorne and Ben Tillett. In particular, whether and why they chose to accept the existing British political structures during those years. The focus is on the constant re-assessment of the value of those institutions in times of crisis, and on which types of motivations played a part in the decisions that resulted from those perceptions and interpretations. The conclusion is that this constant re-assessment of their attitudes serves as a better overall explanation of the Labour Party's course during these years than ideological, structural or individual explanations - or at least adds to those.Show less
