RALF DAHRENDORF
525
them." Rather, he wrote, "I incline to believe that the Liberal Party is still the
best instrument of future progress - if only it had strong leadership and the
right programme." Today the liberal
party
is just as likely to be a minority of
active reformers who believe in the constitution of liberty.
All this is in some sense, by the way, more to amuse you than to an–
swer your questions. Perhaps it helps to explain why
I
am so skeptical about
Social Democracy, and also about the third way. My own liberal position is
that of a constitutional liberalism in which the realm of normal politics advo–
cates radical reform.
I
want to see entitlements of citizenship raised as well as
the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship aroused. Naturally,
I
believe
that this is a helpful position both in your predicament and in ours.
Communism has collapsed; Social Democracy is exhausted. We may have to
live for some time with the shells of yesterday's politics, whatever their
names may be. Thus, you will probably adopt the labels of political parties
£uniliar
from the older democracies. But the old politics is spent. Constitutional
liberalism and social reform need to build a new alliance. This is neither just
your problem nor merely ours; it is a European problem which we have to
resolve together.
First Time
in
Paperback
SERGEI DOVLATOV
The Compromise
''A
dourly
funny
novel about the
impoSSibility, for a Communist
newspaperman, of covering any
event accurately,
because
either
some detail of the story conflicts
with
Party
dogma
or
some
frightful
piece of incompetence must
be
concealed." -
The Atlantic
"The book's eleven compromises
add up to a small but
da:mning
illustration of the feeling of
aimless worthlessness and
wasted hopes that afflicts so
many Russians." -
Ha.rper's
###
Ava.1lable from your local
independent bookseller or from
Academy Chicago Publishers
213 West Institute Place . Chicago, Illinois 60610 . 312-751-7302
