Psychology at the heart of social change : developing a progressive vision for society

We live in troubled times: COVID-19, police racism and climate change are just some of the challenges we are currently facing. Never has there been such a need for a new politic – nor such an opportunity for one. To create a world in which people thrive, we need to know what thriving is. Over the past century, psychotherapy – and its parent discipline, psychology – has built up a rich, vibrant and highly practical understanding of human wellbeing and distress. This book shows why we need, and can create, a progressive politics that is profoundly informed by insights from the psychotherapeutic and psychological domain, moving us from a politics of blame to a politics of understanding. In this vision of the world – surrounded by a culture of radical acceptance – all individuals can live fulfilling lives. We need progressive political forces to develop greater understandings of psychological needs and processes; and to work with others in a spirit of collaboration, dialogue and respect. Front Cover Psychology at the Heart of Social Change: Developing a Progressive Vision for Society Copyright information Dedication Table of contents Acknowledgements 1 Introduction: Progressive politics needs therapy The challenge for progressives Plan for the book A psychology-informed progressive vision Beyond social determinism Understanding human needs and wants A radical acceptance of the other: the principle of psychological equality A humanistic psychological perspective Understanding the other ‘from the inside out’ Across the intrapersonal and interpersonal Who is the book for? My positioning Summing up 2 A psychology-informed progressivism v1.0: socialist humanism A humane Marxism What does it mean to be human? Alienation False needs False consciousness A return to full humanity Critical reflections The a-humanism of socialist humanism A missing model Is socialist humanism still relevant? Summing up 3 Understanding people: a contemporary framework The agentic human being Needs and wants as ‘in-the-world’ Higher-order and lower-order needs and wants What do people most fundamentally need and want? Physiological needs Safety Pleasure Growth Relatedness Autonomy Self-worth Meaning and values Critical reflections How do these highest-order needs and wants relate to each other? A ‘web’ of highest-order needs and wants A tentative list Cultural and social factors Individual variations and freedom to choose What does this all mean for progressives? Summing up 4 Wellbeing and distress: a directional account Wellbeing and the realisation of needs and wants A sense of direction Attainability Approaching Appreciation Discussion Limited external resources Inner conflicts: when what we want is not what we want Inner conflicts and limited external resources Developing cooperative solutions Discussion Ineffectiveness: when we are not good at getting what we want Unrealistic expectations Summing up 5 Conflict and cooperation, inside and out Levels of organisation Directionality across levels of organisation Basic Human Needs theory Wellbeing across levels of organisation Preference utilitarianism Enhancing wellbeing across levels of organisation Conflict at different levels of organisation Cooperation at different levels of organisation Couples therapy Mediation International conflict resolution Discussion Game theory Summing up 6 Common principles of positive change See the ‘bigger picture’ Mentalisation A ‘universal’ moral standpoint Principled negotiation Capitalism as a rogue goal Fascism as a rogue goal Ecocide as a rogue goal Discussion Take responsibility Trust Be nice Prize diversity and difference Be assertive Communicate Understanding the needs and wants of the other Finding cooperative solutions Humanising the other Genuine dialogue Written agreements When communicating makes things worse Discussion Be fair Equality: lowering overall good Equality: increasing overall good What kind of fairness? Fairness as an equal start Fairness for the most disadvantaged A multiplicity of ‘goods’: complex equality Power Democracy Discussion Summing up 7 Making it happen: concrete strategies for a psychology-informed progressivism Positive parenting Why positive parenting for progressives? Principles of positive parenting Attachment Respect Proactive parenting Empathic leadership Positive discipline Parent training programmes Action points Social and emotional learning Why social and emotional learning for progressives? Principles of social and emotional learning Self-awareness Self-management Social awareness Relationship skills Responsible decision making Implementing social and emotional learning Specific programmes of social and emotional learning Whole-school approach Action points Nonviolent communication for all Basic principles of communicating to others Observations Feelings Needs Requests Receiving the other Limitations of nonviolent communication Action points Emotionally literate politics From a politics of blame to a politics of understanding Action points towards a politics of understanding Take the first step Accept and value the other Try to understand the other Engage in genuine dialogue Be honest Show vulnerability Develop self-awareness Develop self-compassion and self-care Developing a wellbeing economy What is a wellbeing economy? Wellbeing metrics and their application Wellbeing economies in action Action points Summing up 8 The further future: envisioning a progressive utopia Utopian thinking in progressive politics What is a utopia? Utopia as the realisation of needs and wants Physiological needs Safety Pleasure Growth Relatedness Autonomy Self-worth Meaning and values Directionality, itself Summing up 9 A day in utopia 10 In conclusion ... Political collaboration A ‘wellbeing’ party? A moral arc Towards a more comprehensive, coherent, compelling progressivism Summing up Notes Index We live in troubled climate crisis, war and authoritarian populism are just some of the challenges we are currently facing. Never has there been such a need for a new approach to politics nor such an opportunity for one. To create a world in which people thrive, we need to know what thriving is. Over the past century, psychotherapy and its parent discipline, psychology has built up a vibrant, nuanced and highly practical understanding of human wellbeing and distress. This book describes a progressive political approach that integrates insights from the psychotherapeutic and psychological domain, moving us from a politics of blame to a politics of understanding. In this vision of society surrounded by a culture of radical acceptance all individuals can live rich and fulfilling lives. We need those shaping our political landscape to understand psychological needs and processes more deeply to enhance our ability to work with others in a spirit of collaboration, dialogue and respect.