Lost on the third way

The idea of a third way for the left has a long history and many incarnatio ns. In the past it most often meant a left-wing politics that was neither r evolutionary communist nor social democrat reformist; instead it sought rad ical transformation through deep democratic commitments. Today the possibil ity of a third way is being discussed by center-left governments across Eur ope and by Bill Clinton in the White House. This time, however, the idea is taken by many to mean a compromise between social democracy and neoliberal ism. Is the third way a coherent idea! Does it represent a decisive move aw ay from left-wing values! Or are the past ways Of the left so stale that so mething dramatically new is needed! In the following articles authors from both sides of the Atlantic think aloud about what the third way debate mean s for the left-and for their own countries.