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Competition No 3874

Set by George Cowley, 21 March

You were asked for your own, personal definitions of "progressive".

Report by Ms de Meaner

Victor and Victoria Meldrew live! £20 to the winners. The best is Adrian Fry, who also wins the Tesco vouchers.

Whether extending Isas to the unborn, tax credits to single mums swapping parenthood for the checkout, or the right to citizenship to economic migrants willing to muck out the elderly, new Labour defines the progressive agenda. Progressive politics is about broadening equality, equalising exam results at an acceptable "well above average", empowering pensioners through patrician, one-off handouts, and increasing the number of small prizes in the NHS postcode lottery. But it is also about adding value, notably to civil liberties by increasing their scarcity. It's about freeing business from the red tape of health and safety, levelling playing fields both literal and metaphorical, the better to compete with emerging sweatshop economies. New Labour offers work to those that can and those that can't, incapacity being no barrier to inequality. In short, progressives raise their eyes from the political hurly-burly to envision a world - of WMDs, educational excellence and terrorist threats - that isn't there.

Adrian Fry

In my view, there is no better indication of progress in a society than the way it wages war. In 1914 many thousands of officers from public schools died in the trenches. Now, members of the privileged classes carry on making money, while our fighting forces are composed entirely of the working class. In the Second World War many MPs saw active service. Today, we have greater respect for our legislators.

In 1939, famous sportsmen joined the armed services. Now we know their true price. No Premiership footballer would be allowed to risk life, and especially not limb, in combat. Only 50 years ago Elvis Presley stopped performing for two years to do military service. Our more culturally sophisticated nation would not permit such an imposition on Robbie Williams.

Remember: as late as 1963 a minister of war resigned because he had lied to the House. Young people today could not even imagine something so old-fashioned.

Ian Birchall

As a pensioner, I define progress as not going back. You know how it is when you're trying to climb a steep hill: often one pace up, two paces down. Progress is damage control, ie, staying in the same place. If at the same time you can enjoy being where you are, that's double the progress when compared to a teenager who doesn't enjoy anything, or a thirtysomething who's always striving for something better.

Progress can also be about moving sideways, eg, from the busy south-east to the slower south-west. In fact, in the south-west you may be able to move forward without slipping back at all, as you're used to a faster lifestyle. However, no one wants to progress too fast into old age, as there's only one destination and sadly no one has ever resisted the progress of time. So slow down and savour every minute.

Katie Mallett

We are making progress - great strides, in fact - in the matter of acoustic culture. The number of cars and other vehicles driving around with their stereos full on and their windows fully wound down is definitely increasing, all contributing to a living, vibrant background to our daily lives.

When you go for a walk now, no longer are you obliged to content yourself with the aural experience of some tedious, repetitive birdsong; you can savour the offerings of So Solid Crew, Eminem and similar artists as they enliven your Sunday afternoon. We look forward to the day when no one will be able to find a place where they can't hear the thud - thud - thud of that bass. Now that's progress.

Michael Cregan

No 3877 Set by Stan Knafler

You discover that the ideals in which you believed passionately are wrong/ discredited/failures. A short retraction, placing the blame on others (?), may even identify you, but you can take it!

Max 150 words by 21 April. E-mail: comp@newstatesman.co.uk

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