Government Reformed

The rationalistic, hierarchical Weberian state is seldom admired even though it is a modern invention. This work scrutinizes traditional bureaucracy to reveal how and whether governments can respond to a new set of problems of governance emerging since the late-20th-century.

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This insightful work examines institutional formation and change as evidence of the major re-shaping of government internationally over the last two decades. It is based on a series of case studies of institutional reform and ranges across institutions in countries including the UK, China, Australia and the USA. Each case study considers questions concerning the establishment of institutions, such as: what have been the objectives of institutional changes? What are the principles and values on which new institutions are founded? In addition to looking at broad hypotheses regarding the state and new institutions, the book also draws together practical lessons regarding institutional reform. Thus the cases are analysed as a group to throw light on a number of issues: are there patterns discernible in the formation of new political institutions? What do the cases reveal about what works, and what does not work, in forming new institutions? What predictions can be made about the relationship between values and governance structures?