Summary

After a postwar period with extensive use of public service models and macroeconomically orchestrally planned regimes, the 1980s and the early 1990s saw a reversion to a more liberal style of economic regulation in Western Europe. The movement from one type of regulatory regime to another illustrates the paradigmatic character of economic organization and, as a result, a thorough investigation of the basic assumptions behind the choice of regulatory direction is required. At this deep level, regulatory issues are beyond a single social science discipline and much of the literature on economic regulation is specialized and too narrow to address the issues involved. With contribution from economists, economic sociologists and political scientists, this volume addresses core issues raised by the new regulatory style of governance.