Social Effects Free Market Policy - Softcover

The pursuit of economic policies by government is now more or less universal in all developed capitalist societies. This collection examines the consequences in five different countries of the rise of free market policies on social institutions and social relations. Contributors from Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand deal with a range of important issues and policies with a view to subjecting the utopian claims of free market theorists to careful and stringent examination. Throughout, attention is focused on certain key questions, including the impact of free market policies on the distribution of wealth and income, the provision of public education, and the character of the labour market. The book also discusses the condition of the poor and the associated question of the level of social order and social peace, and the ways in which the impact of free market policies is carried by different sections of the population.