The book provides a broad-based introduction to policy-making in Britain, exporing the legacy of the Thatcher era and charting the new context of policy-making in the 1990s.
The authors examine the policy process within its ideological, political and economic context, discussing both the influence of Europe and the influence of local government. Having established a broad framework for analysis, the book focuses on a selection of particular policy areas; public expenditure, the NHS, Next Steps, water privatisation, pensions, education and immigration.
The aim of the book is to give a sense of the actual dynamics of policy-making and to encourage students to think about the likely outcomes of policy-change, while making the connections between British public policy and the environment in which it is shaped.

The question of public expenditure has proved to be one of the perennial problems for British Governments. Given forecasts of low growth and record levels of unemployment, the present Government could be faced with dilemmas of greater magnititude than ever. This new edition of Maurice Mullard's book has been carefully revised to provide students with an accessible text. It is principally concerned with explaining the political contexts in which public expenditure decisions have had to be made over the last twenty years. It examines the way in which Governments make choices according to public pressure and the fact that bargains and compromises have to be made in order to maintain political credibility.Maurice Mullard provides examples of the way in which Government policy and individual expenditure programmes have been shaped according to the political climate. The text combines theoretical framworks with policy analysis. This edition contains new chapters on Conservative and Labour politics and a section on John Major's government.

Provides an introduction to social policy by building a link between theory and policy. This book considers a range of interpretations of changes in society, politics and the economy, and assesses their implications for social welfare. Part One considers conventional models, including Keynesian thought, Marxism, liberalism, conservatism, social democracy and socialism. Part Two turns to new paradigms, including communitarianism, post-Fordism, globalization, postmodernity, the risk society, critical theory, Foucauldian thought and patriarchy. In Part Three, the authors review debates on social, economic and political change. The approach is mainly theoretical, with material drawn from sociology, political theory, economics and public and social administration.

This timely book utilizes the tools of politics, economics and public policy to explore the causes of the recent global financial crisis, which, the author argues, can be explained as the absence of a public interest perspective in policy making. Maurice Mullard points out that recessions are not collective shared experiences. Recessions create winners and losers. Furthermore, recessions are not an external event but reflect the outcomes of the policy process. The author looks beyond economic explanations for the economic crisis, and instead points towards a structural explanation. He explores the concept of social structures, the effects of the relationships between power and influence, and the role of ideology and income inequalities as contributory factors. The commitment to deregulated financial markets created an over the counter derivatives market worth some $640 trillion dollars compared to a global GDP worth $65 trillion dollars. The growth of derivatives markets, the role of credit rating agencies, major shifts in policy making and growing income inequalities are described as major factors explaining the present economic recession. The absence of a public interest perspective, the breakdown of trust in institutions, policy makers dependence on financial contributions, the housing bubble, and the increased concentration of income have distorted the democratic process. Thought provoking and stimulating, this book will provide a fascinating study for students and academics with an interest in politics, economics, political economy and public policy.

This timely book utilizes the tools of politics, economics and public policy to explore the causes of the recent global financial crisis, which, the author argues, can be explained as the absence of a public interest perspective in policy making. Maurice Mullard points out that recessions are not collective shared experiences. Recessions create winners and losers. Furthermore, recessions are not an external event but reflect the outcomes of the policy process. The author looks beyond economic explanations for the economic crisis, and instead points towards a structural explanation. He explores the concept of social structures, the effects of the relationships between power and influence, and the role of ideology and income inequalities as contributory factors. The commitment to deregulated financial markets created an over the counter derivatives market worth some $640 trillion dollars compared to a global GDP worth $65 trillion dollars. The growth of derivatives markets, the role of credit rating agencies, major shifts in policy making and growing income inequalities are described as major factors explaining the present economic recession. The absence of a public interest perspective, the breakdown of trust in institutions, policy makers dependence on financial contributions, the housing bubble, and the increased concentration of income have distorted the democratic process. Thought provoking and stimulating, this book will provide a fascinating study for students and academics with an interest in politics, economics, political economy and public policy.

This book explores globalisation and the war on terror in a world that is becoming increasingly and significantly polarised and in which dialogue is undermined. The authors contend that citizenship does not obey a static definition, and that its meaning is located in changing economic, social and political contexts. Equally, civil, political and social rights are continually being politically defined. The war on terror has, the book argues, influenced issues of civil liberties and prioritised the need for 'security' over and above the protection of human rights: it has redefined the meaning of the rule of law. This wide-ranging collection of original papers explores the link between globalisation, citizenship and the war on terror. Drawing on principles and ideas from their individual areas of expertise, the contributors illustrate how the processes of globalisation and the war on terror are shaping and defining citizenship both globally and within nation states. They go on to examine the nature of globalisation and the war on terror via theoretical frameworks, analysis of current issues and by reflecting on existing literature and past events. Seeking to connect the war on terror with issues of racism, resisitance, global poverty and forms of organised violence and social control, this book will provide a stimulating, thought-provoking read for scholars of a wider range of research fields including international business, politics, criminology, sociology and development studies.

Social Policy in a Changing Society provides a clear introduction to social policy by building a link between theory and policy. It considers a range of interpretations of changes in society, politics and the economy, and assesses their implications for social welfare.
Social Policy in a Changing Society is in three parts. The first part considers conventional models, including Keynesian thought, Marxism, liberalism, conservatism, social democracy and socialism. The second part turns to new paradigms, including communitarianism, post-fordism, globalisation, postmodernity, the risk society, critical theory, Foucauldian thought and patriarchy. In the third part, the authors review debates on social, economic and political change. The approach is mainly theoretical, with material drawn from sociology, political theory, economics and public and social administration.
Social Policy in a Changing Society will be essential reading for those studying social policy and sociology.

This book deals with the nature of contemporary globalisation. Maurice Mullard aims to show that globalisation is not an inescapable, unstoppable process somehow beyond human control, rather that it represents, and is being shaped by, a series of deliberate policy choices and policy decisions. The emphasis of this fascinating work is on how these policy choices are creating new forms of economic inequalities and also political elites that distort the democratic process.The mapping of winners and losers goes beyond the usual analysis of the rich North versus the poor South, by including an examination of the widening inequalities in the North and the emergence of new elites in the South. Policies of privatisation and liberalisation of water and electricity create new political elites. The author reveals the shift in the North towards multi national corporations with their emphasis on profits and stock market prices, while at the same time incomes for most employees have either stagnated or actually declined. The standard discourse on globalisation and market flexibility often blurs the issues of declining trade union influence and corporations moving to countries offering lower labour costs. Maurice Mullard herein attempts to rectify this imbalance. The Politics of Globalisation and Polarisation is interdisciplinary and will therefore be relevant for academics and researchers of politics, social policy, public policy and economics. Scholars involved in globalisation will find this book to be a major contribution to the ongoing debate.

This book deals with the nature of contemporary globalisation. Maurice Mullard aims to show that globalisation is not an inescapable, unstoppable process somehow beyond human control, rather that it represents, and is being shaped by, a series of deliberate policy choices and policy decisions. The emphasis of this fascinating work is on how these policy choices are creating new forms of economic inequalities and also political elites that distort the democratic process.The mapping of winners and losers goes beyond the usual analysis of the rich North versus the poor South, by including an examination of the widening inequalities in the North and the emergence of new elites in the South. Policies of privatisation and liberalisation of water and electricity create new political elites. The author reveals the shift in the North towards multi national corporations with their emphasis on profits and stock market prices, while at the same time incomes for most employees have either stagnated or actually declined. The standard discourse on globalisation and market flexibility often blurs the issues of declining trade union influence and corporations moving to countries offering lower labour costs. Maurice Mullard herein attempts to rectify this imbalance. The Politics of Globalisation and Polarisation is interdisciplinary and will therefore be relevant for academics and researchers of politics, social policy, public policy and economics. Scholars involved in globalisation will find this book to be a major contribution to the ongoing debate.

The Politics of Social Policy in Europe analyses and critically assesses tensions and uncertainties which are haunting social policy provision throughout Europe in the 1990s. The expansion in social expenditures associated with the 1950s and 1970s has been replaced by retrenchment and pessimism in the 1990s. Disillusion prevails throughout the community due to growing disparity between the objectives of policy statements and the real life experience of EU citizens. This important book explores the relationships between political choices and constraints, and how governments in different countries are interpreting the challenges to the welfare state. Additionally it critically assesses their policy options in the 1990s and beyond. Special attention is paid to the relationship between social policy and the wider arguments of public finance, employment, citizenship, competitiveness and the economy. Complementing this discussion are country case studies to show how Germany, Sweden, Britain, Denmark, France and Ireland are planning to deal with these problems. This definitive guide will prove to be an invaluable resource to academics and especially policymakers involved in decision making on social welfare throughout Europe.

The focus of this outstanding book is the politics, economics and social policy of the UK Labour Government of Tony Blair. There is always a problem in the attempt to make sense of something that is still taking shape. However, there is equally a problem of writing with hindsight. While hindsight provides the opportunity for perfect vision of the past -- the art of policy making is about the here and now. While the experience and impact of the Blair Government can only be described as unfinished business and work in progress -- there are already a series of pillars, which are giving shape to the Government. Although the shape of policy is not yet clear some analysis can be made of the emerging structure. This book elucidates the Labour Government's underlying pillars and clarifies the developing structures.

The book provides a broad-based introduction to policy-making in Britain, exporing the legacy of the Thatcher era and charting the new context of policy-making in the 1990s.
The authors examine the policy process within its ideological, political and economic context, discussing both the influence of Europe and the influence of local government. Having established a broad framework for analysis, the book focuses on a selection of particular policy areas; public expenditure, the NHS, Next Steps, water privatisation, pensions, education and immigration.
The aim of the book is to give a sense of the actual dynamics of policy-making and to encourage students to think about the likely outcomes of policy-change, while making the connections between British public policy and the environment in which it is shaped.