Publisher's Synopsis
The individual's freedom is always under threat from the power of the state. Governments are constrained by a host of factors: regular elections, the various voices of the media and public campaigns on specific issues. This collection of essays examines the dynamics of political power. Ranging from the extreme abuses of power in Nazi Germany, to the misuse of power by executive governments in the 'WA Inc' years and the construction of a new state in East Timor, the authors debate the constraints on state power and the ability of individuals and groups to influence it. The late Patrick O'Brien, scholar, teacher, public intellectual and political activist, believed in the importance of personal liberty and firm and transparent regulation of the exercise of power, "Power and Freedom in Modern Politics" celebrates O'Brien's life and intellectual engagements, and demonstrates the enduring importance of the key themes of his work.
