Contesting the Australian Way
States, Markets and Civil Society

This 1999 collection challenges the prevalent market-driven approach to public policy.

Paul Smyth (Edited by), Bettina Cass (Edited by)

9780521633901, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 11 January 1999

290 pages, 9 b/w illus. 1 table
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.7 cm, 0.43 kg

"...this is a well-edited book, and its stated goal, to 'rethink the idea of a mixed economy.' (13), is of interest to a range of audiences. The editors deserve credit for maintaining thematic coherence across the book's fived sections and for keeping chapters to a manageable length for such a wide-ranging volume." Canadian Journal of Political Science

Since the 1980s public policy has been perceived as being in a crisis of uncertainty. Many argue that consolidating the market imperative in both economic and social policy is the way out of this crisis. In this 1999 book, a leading group of writers challenge this view, calling for reassertion of a 'mixed' rather than a 'market' economy and a reaffirmation of the egalitarianism that has characterised past Australian social policy. The book confronts key issues of our time, particularly rising inequality and unemployment. Attempting to look beyond familiar debates about economic rationalism, it discusses the role of industry policy, the impact of globalisation, and the usefulness of competition models in the public, welfare, and community sectors. Asking whether economic and social policy can be reintegrated in a shared vision, this groundbreaking book argues the case for reinventing government rather than marginalising it.

Introduction Paul Smyth
Part I. Overviews: States, Markets and Private Life: 1. States, markets and the global dimension: an overview of certain issues in political economy Hugh Emy
2. The social policy context Bettina Cass
Part II. Historical Perspectives: Australian Settlements?: 3. The Australian 'settlement' and Australian political thought Graham Maddox
4. The Australian way Jill Roe
5. Remaking the Australian way: the Keynsian compromise Paul Smyth
6. Unmaking the Australian Keynsian way Tim Battin
Part III. Public Institutions, Civil Society and Social Movements: 7. Public sector reform and the Australian way Lionel Orchard
8. Government and civil society: restructuring community services Deborah Brennan
9. Social movements, democracy and conflicts over institutional reform Jocelyn Pixley
Part IV. Transformations of Economy and State: 10. Economic restructuring in Australia: policy settlements, models of economic development and the new neoliberalism Stephen Bell
11. Economic rationalism: social philosophy masquerading as economic science, J. W. Nevile
12. Industry policy: conflict and consensus Roy Green
Part V. The New (In)Compatibilites: The Welfare State and Competitive Markets: 13. Is Australia particularly unequal? Inequality in Australia: the traditional and the new view Peter Whiteford
14. A competitive future: the Industry Commission and the welfare sector John Ernst
15. 'Working Nation' as market bureaucracy: the introduction of competition policy in case management Michael Wearing and Paul Smyth.

Subject Areas: Central government policies [JPQB], Sociology & anthropology [JH]