Political conservatives have long believed that the best government is a
small government. But if this were true, noted economist Jeff Madrick
argues, the nation would not be experiencing stagnant wages, rising
health care costs, increasing unemployment, and concentrations of wealth
for a narrow elite. In this perceptive and eye-opening book, Madrick
proves that an engaged government--a big government of high taxes and
wise regulations--is necessary for the social and economic answers that
Americans desperately need in changing times. He shows that the big
governments of past eras fostered greatness and prosperity, while weak,
laissez-faire governments marked periods of corruption and exploitation.
The Case for Big Government considers whether the government can
adjust its current policies and set the country right.
Madrick explains why politics and economics should go hand in hand; why
America benefits when the government actively nourishes economic growth;
and why America must reject free market orthodoxy and adopt ambitious
government-centered programs. He looks critically at today's
politicians--at Republicans seeking to revive nineteenth-century
principles, and at Democrats who are abandoning the pioneering efforts
of the Great Society. Madrick paints a devastating portrait of the
nation's declining social opportunities and how the economy has failed
its workers. He looks critically at today's politicians and demonstrates
that the government must correct itself to address these serious issues.
A practical call to arms, The Case for Big Government asks for
innovation, experimentation, and a willingness to fail. The book sets
aside ideology and proposes bold steps to ensure the nation's vitality.
