Summer Message – 2018 – Retro-Fitting UK plc, by Learning from the Provinces.

The last message conveyed the vital idea of retained outlook of globalism – so necessary for a successful Brexit and to avoid geo-political and internal domestic conflict. Yet the present age from the USA to UK to Europe and even Latin America sees the results of ideologically fueled populism to both left and right, and labels such as 'LGBTQXXX' set against the supposed rise of extremism under 'New-Nationalism' or somesuch.

[NB though of course labels are very dependent upon who is ascribing them and to what propogandist ends].

Thankfully, the UK is not quite as endemically politicised as the USA or parts of Southern and Eastern Europe.

But as with these countries, in the UK much of the 'silent majority' having been forced to endure many years a very vocal urban left, that has via a multitude of ways and channels, forcefully relayed the expanded civil rights of everyone except heterosexual white males - seen as the endemic enemy. Though the vast majority of whom were never part of a supposedly exclusionary (and very illusionary) elite, but were for the most part self-sacrificing figures molded by historical precedent.

The rise of MGTOW appears the reaction of 'betrayed' men who recognise that their own life-approach of familial responsibility and delayed gratification to ensure security of the family unit, was/is not shared by partner or relative female. Absolute separation deemed necessary by many of these men given the traumatic experiences and mental scars endured because of 'empowered' female manipulation and deceit, often under the guise of supposed 'victim', invariably centered on obtaining money / property. 

However, a more recently emerged counter-point trend to far left dogma and social consequences consists of swathes of average 'non-damaged' people - typically mature Gen Yers - who recognise the need for open and honest gender cooperation, and true mutuality, and so as to successfully run society; from bedroom to Boardroom.

This the re-awakening of conveniently forgotten 'sleeping elephant' which comprises the true foundations of society.

Whether that be decent men sick and tired of the over-blown 'feminazi' propaganda that encompasses much of modern culture to their detriment, yet often fails to pass muster in the real world; or the socially pressured women who do not readily fit into the ascribed expectations and 'boxes' conveyed by 3rd wave feminism. People of both sexes choose their own preferred path because of personality type, circumstances and real world opportunities.

Similarly, by women who feel that the outcome of modern times have done more bad than good, with unrealistic expectations, a compounding of female selfishness, over-burdening with multiple social roles, and the experienced chasm that have left both sexes more distant and distrustful of each-other. So leading to an inevitable increase in the number of middle and old aged singletons, and so fundamental change in Western society's dynamic and future.

Moreover, those who really objectively see the world around them had noticed that whilst the pink and rainbow banners were waving, society in other ways was falling apart.

The social values and so social standards that previously created cohesion, trust and so willing interaction has dropped through the floor.

Educational standards and their environments much declined leading to an under-educated, easily distracted and so less capable and critically unfocused labour force. Petty, mid-level and serious crime rates much risen (except in the uber-wealthy, often touristic, city enclaves). Weakened police numbers and capabilities because of previous budget cuts, only now being slowly improved. Overly lenient punishment regimes, both within society and during incarceration, which obviously do not deter society's .bad eggs'. Three meals a day, hot water and assured immediate medical and dental treatment that appears actually far better than available to many decent folk in straightened circumstances in 'free' society itself. Such socio-economic circumstances creating such life limitations that such people feel psychically and mentally trapped inside their own lives, unable to enjoy anything near notional normality.

Add to this an undermining of civil society at the highest level - property rights - with hidden realities of property crimes (fraud and harassment) on ethnic, familial and generational basis, so setting fractures through a civil system of what should be respected basic rights. With, at the lowest level of the everyday, a virtually unrestrained media that simultaneously typically promotes 'adult-infantilism' via petty distraction at one end (via TV), and at the other (via the Web), easy access to depictions of warped and socially damaging sexuality (ie porn video sub-titles that confer/promote the idea of parental or sibling incest).

The argument of the new right is that  whilst the many on the left were screeching about their personal 'entitlement' regards very private esoteric issues, few of those same people cared to raise the issue of a realistically fragmented and degrading society; infact many ironically deliberately using vile language in the presence of minors to supposedly strengthen their message during demonstrations, whether verbally, on banners or placards.

Eventually the 'cognitive dissonance' (ie the mental chasm between the conveyed, perceived and the actuality of experience – much of the cause of today's supposed 'mental illness') of modern society has been recognised by many whose own and group values-sets are innately conservative with a small 'c', and put rationality far ahead of emotionality.

And so the paradoxically named but highly relevant 'New Traditionalists' have formed in what they see as the true centre-ground in reaction to the increasingly extremist left; whereby  far greater systemic rationalism and group and personal responsibility is viewed as desperately required to try to maintain a stable and productive society.

In their eyes, this notional socio-economic stability (though itself historically shown to be prone to boom and bust) having become deliberately undermined across many fronts: from language (eg by the pro-nouns argument per some trans-gender or other identifying people) to the fundamental underpinnings of neo-classical and neo-liberal capitalist economics, (with efforts toward other forms of payment systems; from direct bartering of goods or skills to crypto-currencies).

The fact is that what is now coined as modern hyper-liberalism was only able to emerge because of the far more comfortable social environment created by the post-WW2 capitalist boom. So allowing for ex Eastern European emigrés to take up new professorships and authorships, then to gain cult-like sycophantic followers who in turn further explored yet further reaches of sociology and psychology through theory and experimentation. That learning thereafter used to the advantage of both academia in creating new gender studies disciplines to supposedly emancipate women, whilst simultaneously consulting with Madison Avenue advertising agencies to influence both the minds and so consumer choices of mass middle-America, increasingly women, whilst also able to expand and gradually monetise Hippie Counter Culture.

Yes, the 1960s counter-culture provided the cultural beginnings of “alternative values consumerism”, from the anti-status statement of the VW Beetle so beloved by lecturers of the period, onto the more ethical business practices begun in the 1980s led by Anita Roddick and Body Shop, so leading up to highly visible CSR business models pioneered again by of the likes of Starbucks in the 2000s.

Yet, all too ironically, it was the government tax-take provided by American industrial might and the corporate right, and the deeper pockets and spending power of the American peoples of all ranks, which bank-rolled the eventual snowball hyper-liberal influence. Out of places such as NYU, The Chicago School, UC-Berkeley and elsewhere, even eventually reaching into the Ivy League establishments where previously the overtly ideological had always been scuppered by the Enlightenment values of scepticism, scientific enquiry and the balance of thesis, anti-thesis and hypothesis debate.

But since the late 1960s, perpetuated by the impossible idealism of a virtually utopian existence, the liberal influence has become increasingly unbounded and uber-liberal. Such academically evolved issues thereafter directed through the mass-media and into the hearts/minds and so thinking and behaviors of many socially-accepting, uncritically-thinking, people. This obvious; especially so in areas of high, dense populations in which underlying idioms could be easily spread, made all the more easy because of their youthful idealism and so open-mindedness which proved all too easy to influence.

Inevitably then, it is in the areas of less population density, away from large cities and towns, or socially separated within, that more independent thinking prevails; and thereafter when undertaken in responsible manner assists in the true development of society.

So as to positively 'socially engineer' a populace in an upward trajectory, instead of the obvious 'dumbing-down' through widespread low-brow culture seen for so long. To make broad society more 'high-minded' and so objective, insightful, creative, productive and respectful. Far more of an uphill battle to achieve than creating and controlling dumbed-down 'sheep'; yet necessary to evolve humanity. 

Instances of such past attempts however do exist, and have proven in their time to boost the social education, critical thinking and capabilities of such 'socially-engineered' small populations. The vital component being that this is only achievable in secure, comfortable and inspiring surroundings within which true formal and autodidactic education can take place.

The well documented efforts of mid and late 19^th century industrial philanthropists and their model villages and towns such as Saltaire, New Earswick, Bournville, Port Sunlight, etc are true totems of positively managed sociological history.

And thereafter the combined efforts of similarly important influential people recognised as 'social reformers', with creation of the 'Garden Suburbs' at Bedford Park, Benthem and Hampstead in west and north London.

[NB Though it must be stated that like the consumers of William Morris' wares supposedly destined for the masses, Bedford and Hampstead were all too soon occupied by the upper-middle classes as opposed to the deserving working class, who could not afford the leases and rents].

However, the positive outcome of this was the establishment of the even more influential 'Garden City Movement' consisting of the original model town of Letchworth and successor Welwyn Garden City, both in Hertfordshire. These both generated from the '3 Magnets' philosophy merging the best advantges of country and town into a unified plan.

These landmark living spaces combining beauty and functionality for individual, family, industry and commerce altered the face of the nation, as the ruralesque archtectural DNA of its homes became the miniturised 'country life' signature style for the new sprawling suburbs of many expanding metropolitan areas. To this end the initial ideals of 'place and space' spread far further, affecting the lives of millions far from the initial epicentres.

Thereafter the Garden City Movement influenced many other similar societal betterment projects in Europe, North and South America, Japan and Australasia.
Some of these were also connected to the betterment trend involving eugenics research of the time, aimed at latter generational health and intellectual improvement to the advantage of society at large; and not as sinister as latterly portrayed.

This effectively 'clean sheet' approaches were enabled, and demonstrated themselves as successful, precisely because of the fact that such villages and towns were planned directly in association with the interests of industry. From the Titus Salt's productivity concerns at his Yorkshire textile mill in Saltaire, through to the production and marketing expansion strategies of the likes of Spirella (corsets) and Welgar-Nabisco in Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City respectively.

The ability to closely estimate the corporate planning, building and operational costs, including the prime component of specific head-count costs, provided for greater certainty in the broader planning of housing capacity and type aswell as the requisite new infrastructures and wider landscaped and natural environs.

Those very humanistic layouts and buildings, together with the certainty imparted by respected companies and senior managers, as well as fundamentally a shared belief with originators like Ebanezer Howard, aesthetic sensitivity of architects like Unwin and Parker and patronly town administrators like de Soissons, meant that newcomers felt immediately planted and secure.

This a critical repreave from the consequences and economic fragility prevailing in the period, when an effective trade-war with Germany and the might of American made exports incurred a recession and instability for many.

However, the arrival of America's Spirella and Welgar-Nabisco actually meant closer ties with the USA and the gains of FDI and technology transfer, for the employment and learning of British people. Home production meant 'import substitution' and the creation of local supply chains so creating a trickle-down effect across the regional and national economies.

The point to be clarified here is that such socio-economic stability allowed many of the new inhabitants of these locales to not only enjoy a better existence compared to previous urban and rural slum-dwellings, but provided the environment in which they could better concentrate and relax so as to improve their professional capabilities.

Whether one of many young female machine workers hoping to eventually be promoted to section head, or young male apprentice seeking to one day become the works manager.

Or infact as a managing director able to more easily deploy early forms of management science to reduce costs, or to stand away from the conurbation's herd of similar manufacturers so as to self-develop in-house or adopt new techniques from elsewhere for greater efficiences and with important privacy, time and space.

This 'mental space' to think anew in whichever industrial and commercial discipline, can only be achieved in what today is called a 'Campus'-like environment, where the mind is able to relax and recognise cross-disciplinary synergies.

Hence, the Garden Cities were in a way the prototype Campuses,  allowing for not only fresh thinking within one's own field, but the ability to absorb from other diverse local companies in different yet rapidly evolving sectors.

In the case of Hertfordhsire, as diverse as Garments (with Spirella), early FMCG (Nabisco), Automotive (the 'Blower Bentley's' race-prep engineering unit), Aeronautical (de Havilland's expansion to Hatfield (near WGC), and much else besides, including an early example of streamlined partial self-service in the monopolistic Retail schemes that help finance Letchworth and WGC in their early years.

Thus matters pertaining to Production Methods, Construction Materials and Methods, Design Techniques, Captive Consumer Markets and Flexi-Hours Labour Management (enabled by close quarter living) meant that the new thinking behind the Garden City enabled new thinking for in-situ companies.

As Britain today lurches in what seems a wholly ill-prepared, uncoordinated and shambolic manner through the socio-economic political maze that is 'Brexit', and vast sums of many billions of pounds are spent on the land purchases and construction of HS2 – ironic in a cyber-age when physical travel is less required than ever – those lessons from the past that illustrated true 'Grande Plan' thinking with truly life enhancing synergistic industrial-residential planning should be remembered and re-learnt.

So even with the substantive results from the previous Industry Strategy Boards laying out firm foundations for tomorrow's 'Industry 4.0' era, the past visionaries of the late 19^th century and early 20^th century would be ashamed of the lack of true foresight, non-aligned thinking and so poor macro-scale planning (and very possibly the contrivances in scope and delays that incur massive project cost over-runs to the additional gain of approved contractors).

The schemes of Letchworth and Welwyn Garden City were very well budgeted to almost the last penny, that exactitude apparent given the need to convince naysayers.

Over one hundred and ten years of supposed progress in infrastructure planning, and because of a lack of true vision and clarity, and even with brilliant examples such as London's new sewerage system and new Elizabeth Line, in other instances such as HS2 and the Northern Powerhouse, we appear less advanced than the efforts demonstrated by Barnett, Howard and other similar luminaries before and since. 

Contemporary industrial and commercial innovators and investors deserve better.

Yet the present climate of a 'bungled Brexit' and the enormous politicised populational chasm, will only negate, delay and dilute such a desperately needed outcome.

If ever Britain needed an independent, non-political 'Governor General' to take charge of a well planned future, it is now.