Der Band umfasst die Beiträge zur deutschen Konferenz innerhalb der Dritte-Wege-Konferenzen zum modernen Regieren, die US-Präsident Bill Clinton initiiert hatte. Schröder empfing in Berlin 14 Regierungschefs reformorientierter bzw. sozialdemokratischer Länder von Kanada über Südafrika bis Neuseeland, die sich auf das im Buch enthaltene Kommuniqué einigten. Den Großteil des Treffens bestimmte jedoch der internationale Austausch unter etwa 200 Beratern und Experten aus Wissenschaft und Politik. Anthony Giddens, der Spiritus Rector des Diskurses über den Dritten Weg, rekapituliert in seinem Beitrag die Erfolge neuer sozialdemokratischer Politik, fügt jedoch auch selbstkritisch hinzu: "It [the Third Way] has not provided enough of a positive vision of society. In spite of its electoral successes, it does not provide supporters with a positive 'marching tune'." (296) Inhalt: Prefaces: Gerhard Schröder: Civil Society, New Economy and the State - What Progressive Governance is about (XV-XXI); Goran Persson: We Have to Make Globalization Serve the People (XXIII-XXV); Ron Sommer: Consolidating our Resources for the Global Information Society (XXVII-XXXIII). Introduction: Friedhelm Neidhardt: Issues of Reform-Oriented Politics (3-11); Berlin Communiqué: Progressive Governance for the 21st Century (13-23). Civil Society - Some Contributions: Jürgen Kocka: Civil Society and the Role of Politics (27-35); Erhard Eppler: Civil Society and the State (37-41); Maria Arnholm: A Paradox of Democracy? (43-45); Nicos Mouzeils: Civil Society: Democratic and Performance Functions (47-49); Birger P. Priddat / Stefan A. Jansen: From Civil Society to eGovernment: The Virtualisation of the State (51-61); Stephen Holmes: Civil Society as a Power-Free Realm? (63-69); Thomas Risse: The Other Face of Globalization (71-73); Sérgio Abranches: Thinking about Democratizing Democracy (75-85); Wolfgang van den Daele: The Not so Sunny Sides of Civil Society Mobilization (87-89); Rolf G. Heinze: Only the State can Activate Civil Society (91-95); Wolfgang Seibel: Civil Society and the Enabling State (97-105); Gunnar Folke Schuppert: How to Define Public Welfare (107-111). New Economy - Aspects of Progressive Governance: David Soskice: New Economy: Education, Globalisation, Inclusion (115-123); Christer Sturmark: The Information Society and the New Economy (125-128); Advisory Council on Science and Technology: Stepping up - Skills and Opportunities in the Knowledge Economy (131-142); Frieder Meyer-Krahmer: The New Economy - Some Consequences for Innovation Policy (143-147); Miriam Meckel: Internet Revolution could Split Society in Two (149-151); Susanne Ackum-Agell: Will New Technology and Trade Reduce the Demand for Low-Skilled Workers? (153-155); Sandro Scocco: Looking Ahead - The Challenges of Good Times (157-161); Bert Rürup: New Economy - Its Consequences for Social Security (163-169); Kai A. Konrad: Human Capital and the "New Enterprise" (171-179); Jo Groebel: The End of the Demographically Defined Society? On the Road to a Social Digital Economy (181-185); Gikas A. Hardouvelis: Progressive Governance in the New Economy (187-191). Good Governance - Competition of Ideas: Pierre Rosanvallon: Some Reflections on the State (195-201); Constantinos Tsoukalas: The Time Factor in Progressive Government and Development (203-211); Manfred G. Schmidt: Progressive Governance in a Democratic Welfare State (213-219); Wolfgang Merkel: Social Justice in the 21st Century (221-225); Joakim Palme: Social Citizenship for the 21st Century (227-231); Lena Sommestad: Global Population Ageing: Challenges and Opportunities for Progressive Governments in the 21st Century (233-237); Kristina Rennerstedt: A Sustainable Social Policy (239-243); Günther Schmid: The Future of the European Social Model: The Role of Government in a New Labour Compact (245-253); Richard Layal: The Way to Full Employment in Europe (255-257); Josef Schmid: Future Chances instead of Historical Fixations (259-261); Dick Benschop: Competition of Ideas: Europe's Road to Social Modernization (263-265); Luiz Carlos Bresser Pereira: The New Left and the Moving Centre (267-272). Some Conclusions - Consensus and Conflicts: Anthony Giddens: Where We Have Got to (277-299); Werner A. Perger: The Progressive Dilemma (301-311).