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Abstract

Challenges for the left of the future. There is much confusion concerning the meaning and purpose of the contemporary left. Basically, that is a result of the reduction of a multidimensional political struggle between 'left' and 'right' to a presumed conflict between economic freedom and economic liberty. In this contribution the author argues that 'left' and 'right' have historically also differed ideologically concerning conceptions of the good life, the nature of society and the scope of solidarity. The author argues that a new progressive profile would entail a repolarisation on all four dimensions, and ends his contribution with some suggestions for doing so.