Culture and Values at the Heart of Policy Making: An Insider’s Guide

Why do so many government policies fail to achieve their objectives? Why are our political leaders not held to account for policy failures?

Drawing on his years of experience as a senior government policy maker, as well as on global research, Stephen Muers uses examples ranging from the collapse of the Soviet Union to Cold War Germany, the election of Donald Trump and the Brexit referendum to expose the crucial impact culture and values have on policy success and political accountability.

This illuminating study sets out why policy makers need to take culture seriously, how culture and values shape the political system and presents essential, practical recommendations for what governments should do differently.

Stephen Muers has held a wide range of senior policy-making roles. He is currently Head of Strategy at Big Society Capital and a Policy Fellow at the Institute of Policy Research, University of Bath.