The Third Way

The Third Way enjoyed a dramatic success when it first appeared in the late 1990s. The book helped to provide inspiration for left-of-centre parties in a variety of different countries around the world, and many incorporated elements from it into their political programmes. Its influence in Britain was particularly strong and the author worked closely with successive Blair governments in the formulation of social and economic policy. But all governments have their own agendas, and they interpreted and adapted the ideas of The Third Way for their own purposes. In some circles the third way came to be seen as an endorsement of a market-driven approach to politics. The new edition of this classic text includes an extended Preface in which Giddens clarifies the original intent of The Third Way and analyses some of the major developments in political and economic life in the decade since the book first appeared.