Consuming Public Services
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Author Description
The public services are now at the centre of political debate in Britain: the National Health Service, education, housing, transport, social services, planning and the police are all matters of wide public and academic concern. So far the initiative in this debate has come overwhelmingly from the Right. Consuming Public Services offers a response from the Left. It presents a vivid panorama of the range of opportunities and problems that would be thrown up by the introduction of greater user control into Britain's public services.The contributors explore the theme of user control in seven public services that differ widely in character and organization. The editors' introduction sets these discussions in the context of a broader analysis and their concluding essay draws the threads together to provide a wide-ranging yet integrated analysis.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This book investigates the potential for implementing greater user control within British public services as a strategic response to contemporary political debates. Anthony Wright and Nicholas Deakin, both established scholars in social policy and political theory, curate a collection of essays that challenge the prevailing right-wing discourse on public sector reform. By examining the structural and ideological implications of user empowerment, the authors argue for a more democratic and responsive model of service delivery that prioritizes the needs of the citizen over bureaucratic or market-driven efficiency.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Comparative analysis of seven distinct public sectors including the National Health Service, education, and housing.
- Theoretical frameworks for integrating user participation into existing administrative structures.
- Case studies evaluating the practical challenges of decentralizing public service management.
- A synthesis of political arguments regarding the role of the state versus the individual consumer.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the debate on public sector reform from a left-leaning perspective. Readers frequently note the academic rigor of the essays and the clarity with which the editors connect disparate service sectors into a cohesive political argument.
Page Count:
0
Publication Date:
2005-01-01
Publisher:
Taylor & Francis Group
ISBN-10:
0203991389
ISBN-13:
9780203991381
Decentralization in government
Government
Public Policy
Sociology
