Only a few authors have yet dealt with the interesting development of depoliticisation that is taking place not only in Britain, but also in many other democracies all over the world. In this essay we are going to focus ourselves on the British case, where the change of government in 1997 seems to have intensified the depoliticisation movement. To give a comprehensive picture of the actual debate in the literature on depoliticisation we will review the work done so far by Peter Burnham, Jim Buller and Matthew Flinders. Both papers, Burnham (2001) and Buller & Flinders (2005), try to stimulate debate and research on a political phenomenon that seems not to be new but nevertheless worth to discuss if we want to understand the rationale guiding present British policy.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
2 WHAT IS DEPOLITICISATION?
3 DEPOLITICISATION IN BRITAIN SINCE 1997
4 DEPOLITICISATION: AN ORTHODOX ACCOUNT OF BRITISH ECONOMIC POLICY?
5 WHAT CRITICISMS CAN BE MADE OF THIS THESIS?
6 CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
This essay examines the rise of depoliticisation as a governing strategy in British economic policy since the election of the New Labour government in 1997. It aims to clarify the characteristics of this rules-based approach, contrast it with post-war politicised economic management, and evaluate academic criticisms regarding the effectiveness and accountability of delegating political decisions to independent bodies.
- Theoretical definitions and characteristics of depoliticised statecraft.
- The historical transition from discretionary to rules-based economic management in Britain.
- The impact of global market pressures and the "dual polity" on policy evolution.
- Critical perspectives on "new public management" and the proliferation of quangos.
- The accountability and legitimacy challenges inherent in arm-length governance.
Excerpt from the Book
3 Depoliticisation in Britain since 1997
Once having defined the concept of depoliticisation generally we can proceed to analyze what distinct forms this political strategy took in Britain and why it has become an established orthodox account of British economic policy. As we have indicated, it is not a new phenomenon particularly attributable to New Labour. Burnham argues that Britain’s return to the gold standard in 1925 and the joining of the ERM in the early 1990’s are clear examples for a transition from a discretion-based (politicised) to a rules-based (depoliticised) governing strategy. According to his papers, the former is characterized by the government’s direct responsibility for economic management and its propensity to intervene directly in disruptions of the labour-capital balance, thus taking immediate credit if being successful but also risking a ‘state crisis’ if not. In this context, Burnham states that the principal features of the politicised mode of economic management, especially in the period of 1945-1976, are the following:
• Direct controls over production, consumption and exchange (large degree of public ownership)
• Formal and informal incomes policies, best known through the “stop and go cycles” in the 1950’s and 60’s
• Downgrading of exchange rate management in the Bretton Woods era
• Monetary policy under formal responsibility of the Treasury (Bank of England Act 1946)
• No significant interlinking between fiscal and monetary policies
• Centralisation of policy-making (including trade union representation)
• Political disputes derived from a growing public sector with state as employer
• International co-operation (rather than integration)
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: This chapter introduces the political shift toward depoliticisation in 1997 and outlines the academic debate surrounding the rationale of current British economic policy.
2 WHAT IS DEPOLITICISATION?: This chapter defines depoliticisation as a governing strategy designed to create arm-length control over economic and social processes, drawing on "open Marxist" theory.
3 DEPOLITICISATION IN BRITAIN SINCE 1997: This chapter analyzes the transition from discretionary, politicised economic management to rules-based strategies in Britain, contrasting post-war features with modern managerial state practices.
4 DEPOLITICISATION: AN ORTHODOX ACCOUNT OF BRITISH ECONOMIC POLICY?: This chapter explores the external and domestic factors, including the "dual polity" thesis, that explain why Britain adopted depoliticised policy models.
5 WHAT CRITICISMS CAN BE MADE OF THIS THESIS?: This chapter examines critiques regarding the delegation of state functions to quangos, focusing on issues of public accountability and strategic capacity.
6 CONCLUSION: This chapter summarizes the evolution of depoliticised management and speculates on whether the current approach is irreversible or susceptible to a return to more traditional interventionist methods.
Keywords
Depoliticisation, British economic policy, New Labour, arm-length control, statecraft, dual polity, monetary policy, fiscal code, quangos, public governance, Keynesianism, Thatcherism, economic management, accountability, rules-based strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis investigates the evolution of "depoliticisation" as a dominant governing strategy in British economic policy since the 1997 Labour government took office.
What are the central themes discussed in the paper?
The core themes include the definition of depoliticised statecraft, the historical shift from politicised to rules-based governance, and the academic debates regarding its long-term viability and impact.
What is the main objective or research question?
The paper seeks to explain why depoliticisation became an orthodox account of British policy and what significant criticisms exist against this governing model.
Which scientific methodology does the author employ?
The author uses a literature-based review and analysis, contrasting scholarly works from researchers like Peter Burnham, Jim Buller, and Matthew Flinders to synthesize the evolution of modern British state management.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The body covers the theoretical framework of depoliticisation, the historical transition of British economic management, external and domestic drivers of these changes, and critical counter-arguments regarding distributed public governance.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include depoliticisation, New Labour, arm-length control, dual polity, accountability, and economic management.
How does the "dual polity" thesis contribute to the author's argument?
It provides a domestic explanation for the failure of previous discretionary policies, suggesting that the structural tension between industry and politics in Britain necessitated a shift toward constrained, rule-based governance.
What specific concerns does Matthew Flinders raise regarding "quangos"?
Flinders argues that delegating functions to quasi-autonomous organizations creates accountability gaps, undermines public trust, and may actually fail to insulate the government from political responsibility during crises.
Does the author suggest that depoliticisation is an irreversible trend?
The author concludes that while a return to older interventionist models is difficult due to entrenched structures, economic crises could still trigger a revival of traditional Keynesian methods.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Arturo Minet (Autor:in), 2006, Depoliticisation as an orthodox account of British economic policy since 1997, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/77358
