Decline of the Public

David Marquand, Decline of the Public, Polity Press, 2004: "David Marquand traces the growth of the public domain from Gladstone to Attlee, analyzes the forces that began to undermine it in its post-war heyday and exposes the campaign that the Thatcher and Blair governments have waged against it." (From the book jacket). With a simple change in the names of persons and particular events described in this lucidly written brief book, the same analysis can be applied to Canada with illuminating results. (BK)