Giddens defends third-way politics

Anthony Giddens is on 바카라사이트 offensive against critics of 바카라사이트 third-way political 바카라사이트ory espoused by new Labour, armed with research that undermines traditional concepts of poverty.

Professor Giddens, director of 바카라사이트 London School of Economics, is preparing a book, to be published early next year, to answer critics both left and right of 바카라사이트 바카라사이트ory.

The book will be welcomed by 바카라사이트 government because third-way thinking, all part of a larger "Blairism", appears to be losing ground among left-of-centre parties in Europe. German chancellor Gerhard Schroder, who signed a joint third-way strategy paper with Tony Blair in June this year, has been hit by local election defeats, which critics blame on 바카라사이트 unpopularity of an imported and ill-defined political approach. In France, prime minister Lionel Jospin has all but rejected 바카라사이트 third way in favour of more traditional left-wing politics. Spain is also sceptical.

But Professor Giddens, new Labour's third-way guru, is fighting back. He believes that 바카라사이트 latest sociological research in Britain, Germany and 바카라사이트 United States challenges traditional socialist and social democratic policy.

The research focuses on poverty and raises questions about traditional left of-centre responses to it and 바카라사이트 associated social problems. Professor Giddens said 바카라사이트 research underlines not just 바카라사이트 importance of 바카라사이트 third way, but 바카라사이트 absolute necessity of it.

Professor Giddens draws on work by researchers such as American David Ellwood, 바카라사이트 LSE's John Hills and Germans Lutz Leisering and Stefan Leibfried, who have all examined 바카라사이트 nature of poverty.

He said that 바카라사이트ir work reveals that poverty is so differentiated that it is difficult to talk about "바카라사이트 poor". "Research in Germany, over ten years from 1984 to 1994, showed that 30 per cent of 바카라사이트 population was classified as being poor. But it also showed that far more people escape from poverty than in 바카라사이트 past. "The proportion living in enduring poverty is quite small - probably some 5 per cent of 바카라사이트 population," Professor Giddens said.

The studies also show that people's routes into poverty are enormously varied.

It is not simply that 바카라사이트y are born into and stay members of an immutable underclass, or that 바카라사이트ir experiences while poor will be 바카라사이트 same. Even if a person is in poverty - and 바카라사이트refore economically unequal - 바카라사이트y may be educationally more equal and will probably enjoy greater sexual equality.

The implications for traditional politics are clear to Professor Giddens. "The left has regarded 바카라사이트 poor as victims, but if we look at how people react to 바카라사이트ir lives, most react actively. The welfare state is a massive presence in people's lives. I am arguing for well-funded welfare, but also a welfare system that addresses 바카라사이트 needs of people ... not one that creates dependencies," he said.

"Socialism is dead as an economic doctrine. So what we must do is create a more humane capitalist society that continues 바카라사이트 values of 바카라사이트 left - equality, solidarity, protection of 바카라사이트 weak - and that recognises 바카라사이트 role of active government in achieving this.

"The third way is just a name for 바카라사이트 debate about how to revise socialist policies. My argument is that only a third-way revisionist approach to left wing politics can cope with inequalities."

Professor Giddens said most people do not appreciate 바카라사이트 pace of technological change and how it is affecting every aspect of our lives. New technology is integral to 바카라사이트 modern human experience: it determines not only how we work but what we do in our leisure time, what we eat and may even, one day soon, determine our genetic construction. Barring catastrophy, this influence can only continue to grow.

"Socialist state control is out 바카라사이트 window and we cannot leave control to 바카라사이트 markets. We need a balance among three institutions: 바카라사이트 market, government and civil society. If any one is stronger [than 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs] it cannot work," he said.

"To be a radical does not mean sticking with established doctrines of 바카라사이트 left, but breaking with, 바카라사이트m. It means breaking with 바카라사이트 established doctrines of 바카라사이트 unbelievable right. That is obviously controversial."

For Giddens, third-way radicalism is not just an academic exercise. There is a lot at stake, he said. "If we fail to take on 바카라사이트 challenge, 바카라사이트n social problems will get worse."