David Goutor on the "great opportunity staring the NDP in the face" (in the Toronto Star)

David Goutor is a Canadian historian and assistant professor of labour studies at McMaster University.

"Countries that have embraced right-wing economic policies, led of course by the United States, are generally the ones in the biggest trouble. Ireland, to cite another case, used to be the darling of free-marketeers everywhere, including Tory Finance Minister Jim Flaherty; it now stands as an example of not only the catastrophic results of unrestrained financial recklessness, but also the failure of austerity measures to reassure financial markets.

"Countries that have followed the social democratic models favoured by the NDP have fared much better. Northern Europe and especially Germany have proven more stable — and crucially, their people have felt a lot less pain. What’s stopping the NDP from making a simple, compelling comparison: Germany or the U.S., which model seems to be working? ...

"The fact is, social democratic parties like the NDP still have a great opportunity staring them right in the face — all they need is faith in their principles and, above all, the political will to seize the moment."

Full article: The NDP: Keep the faith and turn left.