Zusammenfassung: Der “Dritte Weg” (nach einem Buchtitel von Anthony Giddens aus dem Jahr 1998), mit dem die alte Sozialdemokratie sich erneuern und die Widersprüche zum Neoliberalismus überwinden wollte, hat sich als Sackgasse herausgestellt. Weder haben sich die Sozialdemokraten hinreichend von den Konservativen abgegrenzt noch intensiv genug um ihre Stammwählerschaft gekümmert. Auf die Globalisierung haben sie keine wirkliche Antwort gefunden und ihre Politik auch nicht äußerlich modernisiert. Angesichts neuer sozialer Schichten, Wählergruppen und Parteien brauchen sie neue politische Ziele und eine neue Überzeugung. (Der im Text häufiger bezeichnete "Third Way" hat nichts mit anderen in Deutschland bekannten Dritten Wegen zu tun.) - Red.
Angela Merkel´s victory this weekend confirms what many already knew – Europe´s social democratic parties have failed to distill any political benefit from the association between the right’s reverence for unfettered markets and the economic crises that grip the continent.
Historically, Europeans turn to conservatives in times of crisis. But today, the situation is more complex. In Germany, the Christian Democrats also faired worse than in previous elections. Instead, voters opted for the Left, the Liberals and the Greens. These parties tapped into modernizing demographic trends—the rise of a progressive younger generation, the continuing rise in educational levels, the growth of the professional class, the increasing social weight of single and alternative households and growing religious diversity and secularism. Despite defeat of the social democrats, then, one can discern the emergence of new constituencies that favor progressives. These trends are repeated across much of Europe.
But why do these groups not vote for the social democrats?
One can discern four reasons, common to many social democratic parties in Europe, each rooted in shortcomings of the Third Way.
First, European social democrats have done a poor job of defining what they stand for or how it differs from conservatives. The Third Way reconciled progressive thought with the market economy, individualism and globalization. This helped Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and Gerd Schroeder establish political hegemonies in an era of conservative dominance. All three projects were egalitarian, but in rejecting many signature policies of social democratic thinking they allowed conservative to blur the differences between themselves and social democrats. Moreover, the social democrats´ current difficulties in defining an alternative economic paradigm stem from gaps in Third Way thought, most notably with regards to industrial renewal.
Second, social democrats have failed to connect with the values of voters and thus struggle to respond to the populist anger that is typically rooted in these values. The Third Way’s rejection of ideology was once a strength; it has now become a weakness. Social democratic politicians often suffer from “seminaritis”, treating the political process as a matter of compiling data, evidence and the best ideas. But voters need more than a list of policy positions. Focusing on responsibility and technocratic reform, social democrats appear uninterested in the values and emotions of the working class and emerging progressive constituencies. As a result they are outflanked by parties to their left and right,. and by the Liberals and Greens.
Third, social democrats now find themselves confronted by a raft of new policy challenges that the Third Way had not foreseen. The Third Way emerged at a time of profound optimism. The end of the Cold War, and the Dot.com boom led many to believe ideology (and conflict) was over, and that the post-modern West could live off services while consuming goods produced by the developing world. But, the entrance of a billion new workers into the global economy has not been without its consequences.
Matt Browne, John Halpin und Ruy Teixeira arbeiten am Center for American Progress. Sie sind auch für zahlreiche andere Think Tanks tätig. Der vorliegende Text beruht auf einem Papier für die Konferenz "Towards a Global New Deal" am 1./2. Oktober in Madrid und trägt den Titel "Beyond the third Way".
