It has been migrated to this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radical_center_(politics)
-- Ernie P.
On Sep 16, 2009, at 6:33 PM, [email protected] wrote:
The Radical middle reference article from the English Wikipedia on
24-Jul-2004
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Radical middle
The term Radical Middle refers to a type of third way philosophy as
well as an associated political movement, which defines itself by
simultaneously affirming both sides of an apparently contradictory
issue, whether that be Left-Right politics or a false dilemma. Both
the movement and the philosophy are sometimes called the Radical
Center, and are often associated with politicians such as Tony Blair
in the U.K. and John McCain in the U.S.
Radical Middle Philosophy
Various groups have recently adopted the radical middle as a term to
describe a form of third way thinking that paradoxically affirms the
core principles of two apparently opposing extremes. Radical middle
thought can thus be considered as emphasizing epistemic virtue in
the pursuit of truth, as opposed to blind adherence to dogma.
Historical examples of what might be considered radical middle
thinking are the wave-particle duality of physics, the Christian
doctrine of Jesus Christ as both God and Man, and the federalist
balance between national and state authority in the United States
Constitution. The terms radical center and radical middle are often
used interchangeably, though it is sometimes useful to distinguish
between the specific political movement and the general
philosophical approach.
Radical Centrism
The political application of that philosophy is generally known as
radical centrism. As a relatively grass-roots movement, especially
in the United States, there is no definitive statement of radical
centrism. However the following represent some common issues, and
the key issues of certain Radical Centrist organizations:
Maximize citizen choice and individual empowerment (such as through
civil rights and referendums)
Maximize everyone's potential
Be of genuine help to those in the developing world
Be realistic, acknowledging absolute truth, relative knowledge, and
complex value
Build Character by promoting conscious moral choices
Expand Community by people creating value for each other in
reciprocal relationships
Possess a foundation of traditional values and Common sense
Rational Environmentalism, called the productive middle, usually
based around the concept of enlibra
History of the terms
The term radical middle appears to have been spontaneously invented
by several different communities around the turn of the millennium,
apparently in response to frustration with the violence of extremism
and tepidness of temperance. The earliest modern usage appears to be
from Gordon Fee's kingdom theology course at Gordon-Conwell
Theological Seminary in the 1970's, which helped inspire the
Vineyard Movement. He used the term radical middle to contrast the
evangelical focus on the future kingdom of God with the Pentecostal
emphasis on the present kingdom of God.
While the term radical center has been used in various ways since at
least the 1970s, the modern movement by that name draws its
inspiration from the book The Third Way by Anthony Giddens (1998)
and Giddens's highly-regarded follow-up book The Third Way and Its
Critics (2000). In the U.S. third way politics is most actively
represented by the New America Foundation and its book by Ted
Halstead and Michael Lind, The Radical Center (2001). Subsequent
introductions to radical centrist politics include, most notably,
Matthew Miller's book The Two Percent Solution (2003) and Mark
Satin's book Radical Middle: The Politics We Need Now (2004).
(Interestingly, Lind was once a promising young conservative, Miller
was once an aide in President Clinton's White House, and Satin was a
co-author of the U.S. Green Party's founding document from the
1980s, "Ten Key Values.")
Positioning
Radical centrists are related to what is sometimes called the Vital
Center in American politics, and similarly claim to be drawing on
the best of both sides. However, they differ significantly from
traditional centrism, which prides itself on moderation and seeking
political consensus amongst the parties; radical centrists, for
example, are often quite radical and populist in their stated
policies. Radical centrists also have a tendency to be divisive, as
opposed to the non-partisan approach of traditional centrism. This
leads to many moderates questioning whether radical centrism
deserves to be called centrist at all (perhaps analogous to how the
Left and Right distance themselves from their respective self-
described radical wings). For their part, radical centrists are
quick to dissociate themselves from traditional moderates, whom they
often contrast as the "sensible center", or deride as the "squishy
center."
Radical centrists can be found in both left-wing and right-wing
political parties, but (like other centrists and independents) are
usually penalized for being out of step with that party's dominant
ideology. This leads to tension between what might be called
separatist factions, who want to shed an unhelpful party label in
order to run as independents, and puritans who want to reform (or
take over) the party from within. This tension is particularly acute
in countries with strong two-party traditions, since it is difficult
for third-party candidates to win office or create governable
coalitions absent significant electoral reform.
Radical centrists see themselves as building majority consensus for
radical reforms by sidestepping (or confronting) what they consider
the obsolete, polarized and non-productive ideologies of (social
Conservatism/economic Liberalism) and (social Liberalism/economic
Conservatism). Radical centrists assert that their principles
represent the fusion of the best aspects of Conservatism and
Liberalism, and thus interpolate at the level of philosophy rather
than policy. They claim these ideological moorings (the 'root'
behind their sociological use of the term 'radical') provide the
basis for their critique of society, government and other political
movements.
Radical Centrist Organizations
Mark Satin, editor of the Radical Middle Newsletter
The New America Foundation, the premier radical centrist think tank
in the U.S.
RadicalCentrism.org, founded by
Howard Dean and the Radical Center
In late 2003, several people made the claim that Howard Dean, then
the front-runner for the United_States_Democratic_Party presidential
nomination, represented the radical center. While this may well have
been a defensible description of his policies as Vermont Governor,
his loss of the nomination to John Kerry was commonly attributed to
his being perceived as excessively liberal, rather than any form of
centrist, even by Democrats.
External links
Philsophical Uses
Media Literary for a New Millennium: Finding the "radical center"
Quest for the Radical Middle: A History of the Vineyard
New Bishop Frank Griswald claims to stand at 'radical center' of
Episcopalian church
The Centrist Moment in the Anglican Church
Yahoo! Radical Middle discussion group, a spin-off of PoMoXian
Toward The Radical Center: A Karel Capek Reader
Political Organizations
Organizations concerned with Radical Centrist politics include:
Radical Middle Newsletter
The Radical Center: The Future of American Politics
Hans Masing, Radical Middle candidate for U.S. Congress, Michigan
Richard D. Kahlenberg's analysis of "The Radical Center"
Radical Middle: The Politics We Need Now
The Third Way: The Renewal of Social Democracy
Ground Rules of Civil Society: A Radical Centrist Manifesto
The Thom Hartmann Program, a radio commentator calling for a Radical
Center
EarthOps.org's Radical Centrist Party Political Platform?
The Quivira Coalition for harmony between humans and nature at the
Radical Center
Colorado Voices: The Radical Center where "compassionate, common-
sense solutions" come from.
The Radical Center American Party
Howard Dean Links
Michael Cudahy on Dean as representing the Radical Center
David Ellis, self-proclaimed part the radical center responding to
Salons' article on Howard Dean and Wesley Clark.
CalPundit blog on Dean as more radical centrist than liberal.
Article quoting Mark Wiener on Dean being an "exemplar of the
radical middle"
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