The slow recovery from the recession of 2007–9 raises fundamental economic and public policy concerns. Government Policies and the Delayed Economic Recovery examines some possible causes of the weak recovery and presents empirical evidence that too much policy activism and other policy shortcomings have held back economic growth.

The book examines a wide range of policies that have led to the delayed economic recovery, from increased regulation to ineffective programs that have driven up the public debt. Although their opinions are not always the same, together the contributors reveal a common theme: the delayed recovery has been due to the enactment of poor economic policies and the failure to implement good ones. The authors conclude their analysis by providing a framework for how policies should change to restore strong economic growth.