Reclaiming individualism: perspectives on public policy.

Spicker, Paul

Abstract

This book is about individualist ideas, and how they shape contemporary approaches to public policy. If we were to believe the existing literature, we might think that only markets can satisfy people's needs, and that any collective concept of welfare compromises individual welfare. The price mechanism is taken to be the best way to allocate resources, and it is assumed that individualised responses to need must be better than general ones. Reclaiming individualism reviews the scope of individualist approaches, and considers how they apply to issues of policy. It argues for a concept of individualism based on rights, human dignity, shared interests and social protection. A valuable resource for those working or studying in social or public policy, this book is a powerful restatement of some of the key values that led to individualism being such a force in the first place.

Citation

SPICKER, P., 2013. Reclaiming individualism: perspectives on public policy. Bristol: Policy Press [online]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447309093

• Book Type: Authored Book
• Online Publication Date: Apr 17, 2013
• Publication Date: Apr 17, 2013
• Deposit Date: Jan 31, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 6, 2025
• Publisher: Policy Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• ISBN: 9781447309086
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.51952/9781447309093
• Keywords: Public policy; Welfare; Social and public policy; Social policy; Sociology; Social theory
• Public URL: https://rgu-repository.worktribe.com/output/2675613
• Publisher URL: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/reclaiming-individualism
• Additional Information: This is a post-peer-review, pre-copy edited version of an example chapter published in "Reclaiming Individualism". The definitive publisher-authenticated version SPICKER, P. 2013. Reclaiming individualism: perspectives on public policy. Bristol: Policy Press is available online at: https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/reclaiming-individualism)