Slimming the State

Abstract

Strong political leadership is essential to change the balance between state and market and to remake the character of the state. This is a task for political entrepreneurs, whose possible role was briefly considered in the last chapter. These entrepreneurs need to invoke some concept of a general interest to oppose prevailing special interests; to harness ‘latent interests’ to overcome the roadblocks of entrenched organisations; and to persuade their own party and supporters to eschew ‘consensus politics’ in favour of radical measures and a bold confrontation of opponents.