Risk, contingency and the Third Way: Evidence from the BHPS and qualitative studies

New Labour's "Third Way" in welfare derives its intellectual underpinning f rom "risk society" theory as developed in the UK by Anthony Giddens. The th eory suggests that the crucial changes affecting citizens of modern societi es are globalization, the post-traditional social order and social reflexiv ity. These changes lead people to question authority and to wish to take gr eater responsibility for meeting their needs. Applied to welfare, the analy sis suggests a diminution in the role of government, greater proactivity by citizens and subsidiarity favouring community groups and also the private sector. It buttresses Third Way calls for "no rights without responsibility " and "equality of opportunity, not equality of outcome". This paper report s qualitative and quantitative research which indicates that the risks of m odern social life are experienced differently by different social groups. R isks society theories assume value consensus. They understand social change to have a common impact across society, leading to a common response, and direct attention away from the particular needs and aspirations of more vul nerable groups. The risk society thesis is class ideology masquerading as s ocial theory: it serves the interests of those already privileged in a more flexible society by obscuring the needs and aspirations of the more vulner able, who already bear most of the burdens of social change.