Competitiveness, social justice, and the Third Way

Cammack, Paul (2007) Competitiveness, social justice, and the Third Way. UNSPECIFIED. Manchester Metropolitan University.

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Abstract

Although it passes itself off as 'renewed social democracy', Giddens' The Third Way (1998) systematically redefines social democratic values in neoliberal terms: individualism is solidarity, responsibility is emancipation, risk is security, enterprise is community, opportunity is redistribution, inclusion is equality, and self-help is welfare, and competitiveness is social justice. The same procedure is central to Over To You Mr Brown (2007). The argument is made that Giddens seeks to transform our understanding not only of social justice, but also of society and ourselves. The intention is that a commitment to competitiveness should not be an isolated impulse, but part of a general disposition of every citizen.