VIENNA: Across Europe the “third way” debate has become the only political game in town, the only hint at new directions in a rather confused multitude of trends and ideas. The recent paper signed by Tony Blair and Gerhard Schröder, entitled Europe: The Third Way (Die neue Mitte) begins with a bold statement: “Social democrats are in government in almost all the countries of the Union. Social democracy has found new acceptance—but only because, while retaining its traditional values, it has begun in a credible way to renew its ideas and modernize its programs. It has also found new acceptance because it stands not only for social justice but also for economic dynamism and the unleashing of creativity and innovation.”
VIENNA: Across Europe the “third way” debate has become the only political game in town, the only hint at new directions in a rather confused multitude of trends and ideas. The recent paper signed by Tony Blair and Gerhard Schröder, entitled Europe: The Third Way (Die neue Mitte) begins with a bold statement: “Social democrats are in government in almost all the countries of the Union. Social democracy has found new acceptance—but only because, while retaining its traditional values, it has begun in a credible way to renew its ideas and modernize its programs. It has also found new acceptance because it stands not only for social justice but also for economic dynamism and the unleashing of creativity and innovation.”