Integral Politics: A Spritual Third Way

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• <b>What Is a Third Way?</b>
  Historically, third ways have usually cropped up when people found the existing two dominant political ideologies lacking. In the nineteenth century, socialism originally emerged as a third way between conservatism and classical liberalism (also known as free market capitalism). Later, in the twentieth century, social democracy developed as a third way between socialism and conservatism/free market capitalism. In this time of “exhausted utopian energies,�?2 where classical, nation-state based social democracy no longer appears to function in the context of a globalized society, it is no surprise that a number of politicians and theorists, such as the Democratic Party’s Democratic Leadership Council and Tony Blair’s New Labor party, have proposed a third way between social democratic and neo-liberal programs themselves. But rather than truly transcending the existing belief systems, too often the new program becomes the ideological center between the two dominant ideologies. Such a centrist third way is actually a compromise rather than a new political theory that overcomes the old ideologies by providing lasting answers to unresolved social problems.
  
  A true third way for the twenty-first century should transcend beyond the preceding ideologies. Integral Politics offers this possibility. By mapping the relationship of all major existing ideologies to each other and by clearly presenting a new approach to politics, one that integrates the best of each and transcends their shortcomings, Integral Politics presents a true alternative to politics as usual.