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Since September 2005, Compass has been engaging in a process of wide ranging and long term policy review. We have commissioned thinkpieces, interviewed leading thinkers, invited views from members online and at events, talked to NGOs and think tanks, held seminars and formed three working groups with over a hundred academics, policy thinkers and practitioners involved to debate the issues.

When we started we called this our “manifesto” process. But a manifesto sounds like it has all the answers. We know that we don’t. Policy development needs to be ongoing and open to discussion and debate. So we are now calling the process the Compass Programme for Renewal.

In autumn 2006 we started to publish the thinking of our working groups in the form of three short books. The Good Society considers the sort of society we want to live in. A New Political Economy explores what the economics of the good society are. And Democracy and the Public Realm looks at the democratic processes and structures that uphold the good society.

These books have now been sent to all members. But this will be the beginning, not the end, of the Programme for Renewal. The text of the books are now available online and we would like you to debate the ideas on our website.

At the heart of policy making needs to be democratic debate and dialogue.

20th September 2006: The Good Society is published. Download and comment on it online.

22 January 2007: A New Political Economy is published. Download and comment on it online.

6 June 2007: Democracy and the Public Realm is published. Download and comment on it online.