Why the Third Way?

Due: To be determined 

You will need to examine the following issues:

1. How had society and the economy changed in Europe and the UK by the 1970s? [see Johnson, Seyd and Lipset or the overviews in Kaeble: Periodisation 1945-2003, Changes in Work, From Class Society to Individualism]

2. How had politics changed? [You need an understanding of Thatcherism see John Benyon, "A Definition of Thatcherism" and Rhodes].  See also the sharp critique of traditional social democracy in Moss.

3. How did electoral developments encourage the drastic revision of Labour's programme and policies?

Reading:

Secondary -

Hartmut Kaelble in Europe Since 1945, Mary Fulbrook (ed)

• Periodisation 1945-2003

• Changes in Work

• From Class Society to Individualism

Alan Johnson, "Class and Class Consciousness Today"  [This is a rather strange source to use from an obscure activist in a revolutionary Marxist group.  But it actually gives a good run-through of the major arguments behind "modernising" moves within the British Labour party - as well as a left-wing critique of them]

Robert Moss, "Anglo-Communism?",  (1977), Commentary, February 1977 [a right-wing analysis from the US of the British economic and political crisis of the 1970s.  A little overdrawn but useful as a way in to understanding the appeal of Thatcherism]

John Benyon, "A Definition of Thatcherism",  Social Studies Review, May, 1989 [A checklist of the major components of Thatcherite ideology]

Martin Rhodes, " Desperately Seeking a Solution: Social Democracy, Thatcherism and the 'Third Way' in British Welfare"  

Amitai Etzioni, "The Third Way is a triumph", New Statesman (1996), June 25, 2001

Seymour Martin Lipset, “The Americanization of the European Left”, Journal of Democracy,  vol.12, Number 2, April 2001 [a very useful analysis of the social and economic changes that challenged the ideology and electoral bases of the European Left and the adjustments taken to meet these challenges]

Patrick Seyd, "New Labour, New Party, New Politics?  An Assessment of the Blair Project" [an excellent summary of the problems facing "old Labour" and the steps taken to modernise the Party]

Peter Kellner,  "Labour 'party of middle class'", The Observer (London), Sunday December 27, 1998   [on New Labour's attractiveness to the middle classes - using the term in the British sense to refer to the white-collar salariate]

Primary -

Tony Blair, “The Third Way”, Extracts from a speech, September 21, 1998

Tony Blair, Speech to the Labour Party Conference, October 2, 2001

Return to Home Page