CHANGE WARS
In practice, much of what has passed for The Third Way has been a new kind of autocratic and all-seeing state that has used technological and data-driven self-surveillance along with lateral professional interactions to deliver unchanging government goals. The result has been a shift from a theory-in-action of change as represented in Figure 1 (The Second Way) to a modified orthodoxy of change (or Third Way) in Figure 2. This signifies progress, but there has also been missed opportunity to develop more courageous and creative strategies that engage and inspire the public and the profession to promote the good of all. Top-Down Government Goals
Performance
Targets
Parent Choice
Market Competition
Resources
Materials
Training
Bottom-Up Support
Figure 1: The Second Way
12
Š 2009 by Solution Tree. All rights reserved.
Giddens describes how professions once had great freedom and autonomy (The First Way), and then became more subject to government interference and market forces (The Second Way). In order to further the goals of economic prosperity and an inclusive social democracy, he argued, The Third Way promised a more creative combination of public, private, and voluntary solutions—top-down leadership with bottom-up support and professional engagement that did not extend to unrestricted license.