The 'Third Way' and the Challenges to Economic and Monetary Union Macropolicies

Levy Economics Institute Working Paper No. 345

10 Pages Posted: 30 Jul 2002

See all articles by Philip Arestis

Philip Arestis

University of Cambridge - Department of Land Economy; University of the Basque Country

Malcolm C. Sawyer

University of Leeds

Date Written: June 15, 2002

Abstract

In the United Kingdom the emergence of a "New Labour" has been closely associated with the development of the notion of the "third way." Tony Blair, for example, stated that "New Labour is neither old left nor new right. . . . Instead we offer a new way ahead, that leads from the centre but is profoundly radical in the change it promises." In a similar vein Giddens locates the "third way" by reference to two other "ways" of classical social democracy and neoliberalism. Although some notable contributions have been made on the subject of the "third way," rather little has been written specifically on the economic analysis underpinning it. This paper infers such an analysis by working back from the policies and policy pronouncements of governments. To do so, the paper examines the types of economic analyses being used to underpin the ideas of the "third way"; the suggestion that the ideas surrounding the economic analysis of the economic and monetary union's (EMU's) theoretical and policy framework are firmly embedded in that of "third way"; and the argument that the challenge for EMU macropolicies lies in their potential to achieve full employment and low inflation in the euro system. On the last point, the author concludes that these policies, as they currently operate, are not very promising. Alternatives are therefore suggested.

Keywords: third way, New Labour, EMU

JEL Classification: E0

Suggested Citation

Arestis, Philip and Sawyer, Malcolm C., The 'Third Way' and the Challenges to Economic and Monetary Union Macropolicies (June 15, 2002). Levy Economics Institute Working Paper No. 345, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=318822 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.318822

Philip Arestis (Contact Author)

University of Cambridge - Department of Land Economy ( email )

19 Silver Street
Cambridge, CB3 9EP
United Kingdom

University of the Basque Country

Barrio Sarriena s/n
Leioa, Bizkaia 48940
Spain

Malcolm C. Sawyer

University of Leeds ( email )

Leeds LS2 9JT
United Kingdom

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