Conclusion — Integrated Policymaking and the Transformation of Capitalism

The main arguments of this book have not been intended necessarily as an outright criticism or an outright defence of Giddens. They instead describe the political character of his work as comprehensively as possible in order to highlight its shortcomings and strengths and to show that an integrated reading yields the most fruitful scope for future political utility. The most overt points of criticism have been on his Third Way, but only in the sense that it does not follow from the rest of his work. Depending on other critics’ standpoints, the Third Way may be viewed favourably; for instance, in the sense that it contributed to significant electoral successes for centre-left parties in many countries after long periods in the political wilderness. The critical points noted here do not counter such arguments. These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.