New Labor’s Third Way Attempt

This thesis analyzes the appearing background of the third way in Britain,which also points out the adjustment of British government’s policy on welfare reform.The reform taken by the New Labor party is not only the inevitable choice for theBritish society, but also provides a solution for the problems of capitalism in the era ofglobalization. By establishing the unity of rights and responsibilities, the third wayshifted the British welfare state from a passive welfare to a positive one, from atraditional welfare state to a social investing country. New Labor’s reform is abreakthrough by combining the traditional welfare concept and Giddens’“Third way”thinking, it gets across the dividing line between the traditional “left” and “right”, italso makes great achievements and gains extensive support of different classes inBritain. This article also points out the problems of the British welfare system faced inthe new economic crisis, and discusses the British welfare system still needs to beimproved and developed.This thesis consists of four chapters. Chapter I introduces the background of theappearing of the third way, including the internal and external background of the thirdway, and the attempt put forward by the New Labor party; Chapter II explains thenecessity that Britain choose the third way as the reform orientation, it includes thetheoretical and ideological origins about the third way, the comparison betweenTraditional Left, Right and the Third Way, it also introduces the content of Giddens’sthird way; Chapter III deals with the practice made by the New Labor party, includingits concepts, innovation on theory and reform measures; Chapter IV is the finalchapter, the focus is on the possible future of the British welfare system and theoverall evaluation of the third way.