There's Far More to Journalism Than Just Propaganda; the Man Accused of Being a Tory Lickspittle Says Alastair Campbell Needs to Understand

Oborne, Peter, The Evening Standard (London, England)

Byline: PETER OBORNE

BROADLY speaking there are two ways of understanding politics. There is the view, shared by 19th century liberals and 20th century conservatives, that politicians do more harm than good and individuals are best left as much as possible to their own devices.

Then there is the Utopian leftist tradition that human nature is perfectible and that the job of politics is to change the world and create a better society. This belief has animated both the most noble and the most evil thinkers and politicians - Lenin, Stalin and Ceaucescu, as well as Keir Hardie, Sidney Webb and Orwell.

Both traditions are open to criticism - conservatism that it lacks compassion, and leftism that it can annihilate the freedom and privacy of the individual. The great and noble historical claim of Tony Blair and New Labour is that it can unite both traditions to …

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Publication information: Article title: There's Far More to Journalism Than Just Propaganda; the Man Accused of Being a Tory Lickspittle Says Alastair Campbell Needs to Understand. Contributors: Oborne, Peter - Author. Newspaper title: The Evening Standard (London, England). Publication date: June 17, 2002. Page number: 11. © Not available. COPYRIGHT 2002 Gale Group.

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