Democratic equality : what went wrong? / edited by Edward Broadbent.

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Are the world's oldest democracies failing? In this extraordinary collection, top scholars in political science, sociology, philosophy and economics, discuss a radical shift towards inequality in an age of mass capital globalization.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

CHOICE Review

Over the last 25 years, neoliberal and conservative social policies have reshaped the welfare state in the US, Canada, and the UK. This collection of 14 essays mixes socialist and left liberal voices in a call for their repeal. By selectively targeting the poor, the policies have moved the welfare state away from the universal social rights championed in the post-WW II period. Ten of the essays empirically document the negative consequences of this shift, which include growth in the gap between rich and poor, an impoverished public realm, lower levels of citizen participation, gender inequities, and--perhaps surprisingly--sacrifices in economic efficiency and performance. Three essays explore the impact of these changes on left of center political parties, e.g., the New Labour Party in Britain, the New Democratic Party in Canada, and the Democrats in the US. Edward Broadbent, Bo Rothstein, and G.A. Cohen contribute fine essays in political theory that interpret these developments using analytical definitions of liberty (positive and negative), rights (legal, political, and social), and market socialism. Anyone interested in what the Left has to say about welfare and health care reform in the Anglo-American democracies will find this volume invaluable. Highly recommended for general readers and undergraduate libraries. J. Simeone Illinois Wesleyan University