Serious question - what are the differences between these three things...

  • centrism

  • radial centrism

  • the Third Way

I just realized a few minutes ago I have no idea how to answer my own question.

  • ElGosso [he/him]
    ·
    4 years ago

    My understanding - centrism is a self-defining position that seeks to compromise between the perceived right and left (i.e. overton window shit, however much you believe in that). Radical centrism, if not used pejoratively, is the idea that these ideas shouldn't just be reached as a compromise, but should be pursued vigorously - a radical centrist in America today might demand police reform but also "fiscal responsibility." The Third Way is a specific project that attempts to merge left-ish social justice issues with a rejection of the Keynesian social democratic economic policy in the wake of the Nixon shock and the neoliberal project, adopted by Blairites in the UK and the Clintons (and by extension the Dems) in the US.

  • Fakename_Bill [he/him]
    ·
    edit-2
    4 years ago

    Third Way is fascism that pretends to have leftist characteristics

    Oops I was thinking of third position.

  • deadbergeron [he/him,they/them]
    ·
    4 years ago

    i always thought radical centrism was a joke that got picked up by centrists who started using it unironically.

    Third Way I always associated with Tony Blair but looking at the wikipedia page it seems like it has a larger history than that

    centrism: https://www.centrism.biz/

    • adfsadfsadfsadf [none/use name]
      hexagon
      ·
      4 years ago

      looking at the wikipedia page

      I asked here because Wikipedia pages often lack reality checks. I like etymology I might check a page at Wikipedia and it could be 10k words. But I learned to also google because if everything on that page might be super-obscure stuff that only 1 out of 10,000 knows. I don't need or want that sort of stuff. It drives me crazy.

      • deadbergeron [he/him,they/them]
        ·
        4 years ago

        True, I just meant I think it has a larger definition than just what Tony Blair called himself, which was what I thought before you asked