Government by Contract: Outsourcing and American Democracy [Hardcover]

Jody Freeman (Editor), Martha Minow (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 067403208X | ISBN-13: 978-0674032088 | Publication Date: February 28, 2009

The dramatic growth of government over the course of the twentieth century since the New Deal prompts concern among libertarians and conservatives and also among those who worry about government’s costs, efficiency, and quality of service. These concerns, combined with rising confidence in private markets, motivate the widespread shift of federal and state government work to private organizations. This shift typically alters only who performs the work, not who pays or is ultimately responsible for it. “Government by contract” now includes military intelligence, environmental monitoring, prison management, and interrogation of terrorism suspects.

Outsourcing government work raises questions of accountability. What role should costs, quality, and democratic oversight play in contracting out government work? What tools do citizens and consumers need to evaluate the effectiveness of government contracts? How can the work be structured for optimal performance as well as compliance with public values?

Government by Contract explains the phenomenon and scope of government outsourcing and sets an agenda for future research attentive to workforce capacities as well as legal, economic, and political concerns.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This book sheds new light on a critically important topic. I recommend it to every student of contracting out and privatization.
--Paul C. Light, author of A Government Ill Executed

This book could not be more timely or important. Renowned legal scholars Jody Freeman and Martha Minow have assembled some of the best minds in law, public administration, economics, and political science to consider the pervasive trend toward outsourcing in American government. The result is not just an essential guide to a crucial development, but also a nuanced warning: For all the attractions of outsourcing, the tide of "government by contract" threatens both democratic values and shared policy goals.
--Jacob S. Hacker, author of The Great Risk Shift: The Assault on American Jobs, Families, Healthcare, and Retirement--And How You Can Fight Back

This book documents both the dramatic recent increase in outsourcing to the private sector of functions traditionally performed directly by government in the U.S. and the equally dramatic breakdowns of traditional accountability mechanisms in many contexts (political, legal, economic). It also outlines an ambitious reform agenda which everyone concerned with the public policy-making process in the 21st century must take seriously.
--Michael Trebilcock, Faculty of Law, University of Toronto

About the Author

Jody Freeman is Professor of Law, Harvard Law School.

Martha Minow is Jeremiah Smith, Jr. Professor of Law, Harvard Law School.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 552 pages
• Publisher: Harvard University Press (February 28, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067403208X
• ISBN-13: 978-0674032088
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,105,577 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

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4.0 out of 5 stars Timely, October 12, 2011

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This review is from: Government by Contract: Outsourcing and American Democracy (Hardcover)

This is a good collection of writings on the privatization of the public sphere and its dangers. The discussion of the legal gaps and the implications for democratic administration should be required readings for students of government.