A Different Kind of State?

The organization of the public sphere has become the central political problem of the 1990s. Neither the centralized bureaucracies of Eastern Europe nor the liberal/pluralist states of the West have been able to cope as their citizens demand more public services and greater democratic accountability. Increased competitiveness within a free market cannot satisfy these needs; if anything, it generates more victims dependent on government help. This book introduces the possibilities for democratic administration - reforming the system of government so as to enhance public participation, improve the design of programmes and the delivery of services, and to ensure a better working environment within the public sector.