The Politics of Civil Society is indispensable for anyone who wants to make sense of the bewildering recent shifts in ideology and policy surrounding the Welfare State and to understand the broader political implications of civil society. Since the 1980s, the renaissance of civil society has introduced new ideas about the nature of power, citizenship, and human rights, with such slogans as 'active citizenship' and 'participation' radically challenging the dominance of the state, the power of professionals, and the welfare system itself. Frederick Powell traces the historical roots of these apparent changes and movements, demonstrates in detail their often paradoxical results, and speculates about the whole future of social policy. He has produced an entirely original synthesis, as well as a major guide to social policy, that goes well beyond traditional interpretations of civil society as the voluntary and community sector.
