Publisher's Synopsis
This book offers a distinctive evaluation of the Thatcher governments and concludes that in some areas they demonstrated innovative leadership (in re-shaping some and exploiting changes on other popular attitudes; in circumventing and transcending the power of organized interests; in challenging government bureaucracies and local government; and in some adaptations to economic circumstances). In other areas they were constrained by social, governmental and economic factors. It explores the reasons for the radical policy changes achieved under Thatcher, concluding that they were in a large part due to relatively strong Political Will and a strong Policy Capacity enhanced by Policy Learning in office. - - The conclusions challenge central assumptions about democratic politics, British politics and public policy-making which tend to assume that leadership plays a small role in explaining change. The findings are related to the emerging American literature on policy entreprenureship, and are used to consider the possibilities of Innovative Leadership being exercised in other democratic systems.
