The Rise and Fall of British Labour Party’s Alternative Economic Strategy: the Ideology of Public Ownership and Its Social Implications
Author: Cheng Liu, Chaojing Sun
Affiliation: School of History, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
Nuova rivista storica 2025, 109(3), 801-834 https://doi.org/10.1400/302938
Received 26 September 2025; Published 13 February 2026
Abstract
Tra il 1973 e il 1983, il Partito Laburista britannico introdusse una serie di politiche nell’ambito della Alternative Economic Strategy (AES, Strategia Economica Alternativa), aventi come fulcro l’espansione della proprietà pubblica. Ciò rappresentò un periodo unico nella storia del partito, in cui le politiche del lavoro dovevano conformarsi al credo socialista. L’ascesa di correnti di sinistra all’interno del Partito Laburista, l’impatto delle crisi economiche esterne e il quadro teorico elaborato da Stuart Holland furono i fattori chiave alla base dell’adozione di questa strategia. La AES rispecchiò pienamente le posizioni (delete in order to avoid a repetition with “radical” below) dell’ala sinistra del partito, mirando ad affrontare i problemi sociali del Regno Unito attraverso tali misure radicali. Il suo fallimento dimostrò che la proprietà pubblica generalizzata era incompatibile con le condizioni reali del Regno Unito: le politiche radicali della sinistra non convinsero infatti la maggioranza degli elettori, né risolsero le difficoltà economiche del paese. Al contrario, rischiarono di marginalizzare il Partito Laburista all’interno del sistema bipartitico britannico. Un’analisi critica della AES offre spunti preziosi riguardo alla leadership attuale del Partito Laburista presieduta da Keir Starmer e al suo approccio alle politiche di nazionalizzazione.
Between 1973 and 1983, the British Labour Party introduced a series of policies under the Alternative Economic Strategy (AES), which centered on expanding public ownership, marking a unique period in the Party’s history where the policies of Labour needed to conform to the socialist belief. The rise of left-wing factions within Labour, the impact of external economic crises, and the theoretical framework provided by Stuart Holland were key factors behind the adoption of this strategy. The AES fully reflected the radical views of the party’s left wing, aiming to address Britain’s social issues through these radical measures. Its failure demonstrated that comprehensive public ownership was incompatible with Britain’s actual conditions, as the left’s radical policies failed to appeal to the majority of voters or resolve the country’s economic woes. Instead, they risked marginalising Labour in the UK’s two-party system. A critical review of the AES offers valuable insights into the current Labour leadership under Keir Starmer and its approach to nationalisation policies.
Keywords
British Labour Party; Alternative Economic Strategy; Public Ownership, Labour Left
Cite This Article
APA Style
Liu, C., & Sun, C. (2025). The Rise and Fall of British Labour Party’s Alternative Economic Strategy: the Ideology of Public Ownership and Its Social Implications. Nuova rivista storica, 109(3), 801–834. https://doi.org/10.1400/302938
Vancouver Style
Liu C, Sun C. The Rise and Fall of British Labour Party’s Alternative Economic Strategy: the Ideology of Public Ownership and Its Social Implications. Nuova Riv. Stor. 2025;109(3):801–834. doi:10.1400/302938
IEEE Style
C. Liu and C. Sun, “The Rise and Fall of British Labour Party’s Alternative Economic Strategy: the Ideology of Public Ownership and Its Social Implications,” Nuova Riv. Stor., vol. 109, no. 3, pp. 801–834, 2025, doi: 10.1400/302938.
