Introduction

Abstract

The belief that governments should make a positive difference to our lives remains as strong as ever, even if there is a veritable industry of books about how they are getting it wrong. Governments (we are told) are the captives of large corporations; they are enslaved by simplistic ideologies about market forces; they subvert true democracy; they are not to be trusted; their bureaucracies are incompetent. Every day, even (or perhaps especially) in countries that are blessed with relatively stable and competent governments, the media bring out stories of regulators that did not do their jobs properly, of services poorly delivered, of the weak and vulnerable left unprotected.