THE Third Way Think-Tank’s mantra goes something like this:
“The main focus of the Third Way Think-Tank is on ideas. For
obvious reasons, we’re particularly interested in any group or individual that takes a general position that is ‘Neither Left nor Right.’ However, labels or perceptions are of no real interest to us. On saying that, we try to avoid the dogmatists and control freaks of both the left and right like the plague!
However, that’s not to say that we’d never look at the ideas, organisations or people who’re generally portrayed as being beyond the pale. To accept media definitions without examining the subject matter would be stupid in the extreme.”
As we’ve already noted, we’re particularly interested in those who take a position that is ‘Neither Left nor Right’. However, on saying that, we are interested in hosting a rational and constructive debate involving those from both the ‘left’ and ‘right’.
Whilst we’ve obviously views of our own, as a Think-Tank we’re interested in engaging with others from a wide range of political positions and listening to all points of view.
Thus 3W invites all those who fit the bill to step forward.
Let the debate begin!
I know that “The Third Way” has a unique meaning in Ulster (opposing both Unionism and Nationalism and advocating Ulster “independence”), but in the rest of the United Kingdom and in the wider world it is a long-forgotten term. First coined by an LSE Professor (though it’s been revealed that the term was earlier used by none other than the fascist leader Mosley – not a very encouraging precedent!) it was taken up by Clinton, Blair and Schroder during the 1990s. They seemed to advocate some wishy-washy half-way compromise between free-market capitalism and state-controlled socialism. As the fates of Clinton, Blair and Schroder illustrate this wishy-washy ideology was not a terrific success, and the term is now all but forgotten. So why revive it now? Clegg’s LibDems seem to be the closest standard-bearers today, but they seem to be sinking to electoral oblivion because of their place in the Coalition!
Posted by Alan Harvdey | October 11, 2011, 7:31 pm