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Reclaiming Individualism

Perspectives on Public Policy

Paul Spicker author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Policy Press

Published:17th Apr '13

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Reclaiming Individualism cover

This book is about individualist ideas, and how they shape contemporary approaches to public policy. If we were to believe the existing literature, we might think that only markets can satisfy people's needs, and that any collective concept of welfare compromises individual welfare. The price mechanism is taken to be the best way to allocate resources, and it is assumed that individualised responses to need must be better than general ones. Reclaiming individualism reviews the scope of individualist approaches, and considers how they apply to issues of policy. It argues for a concept of individualism based on rights, human dignity, shared interests and social protection. A valuable resource for those working or studying in social or public policy, this book is a powerful restatement of some of the key values that led to individualism being such a force in the first place.

"A book with much relevance for students and scholars of social and public policy and, indeed, anyone who wishes to understand more about the dominant paradigms of public policy." Journal of Social Policy
"A most thorough exploration of a wide variety of issues related to 'the individual' as an idea in social policy discussion." Citizen's Income Newsletter 2015
“A useful exploration of the differing approaches within the individualist tradition, bringing together discussion of the whole field of individualistic thought and public policy.” Dr David Hirst, University of Bangor
"Reclaiming individualism is fantastically interesting. It raids an enormous range from across disciplines, and is the product of some very hard thinking and some provocative analysis." Professor Michael Moran, University of Manchester

ISBN: 9781447309086

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: unknown

208 pages