Failed State (Paperback)

Sam Freedman

ISBN 10: 1035026600 / ISBN 13: 9781035026609

Published by Pan Macmillan, London, 2025

About this Item

Paperback. Britain feels increasingly broken. It's harder than ever to get a GP appointment. Burglaries go unpunished. Wages have been stagnant for years, even as the cost of housing rises inexorably. There are lots of candidates for blame: Boris Johnson; Rishi Sunak; the last Labour government; Brexit. But it's not really due to any individual. Politicians can make things better or worse, but even the best are constrained by our state institutions.These core foundations - No. 10 Downing Street, the Treasury, Parliament, the Civil Service, local government - were never designed for the job. Once able to adapt to a smaller, less centralized state, they now cannot cope with the big problems we face. Only by digging below the surface, understanding the history and failure of these institutions, can we get a grip on the difficulties facing Britain today.In Failed State, Sam Freedman offers an uncompromising and well-sourced analysis of where we've gone wrong. Speaking to politicians of all stripes, civil servants, workers on the frontline and key thinkers across the world, this book bursts at the seams with insight and data on the real problems we face that are so often hidden from the front pages. The result is a thoughtful manifesto that paves the way for a fairer and more prosperous society. In Failed State, one of Britain's leading policy experts, Sam Freedman, explores the dysfunction at the heart of the British state. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781035026609

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Failed State (Paperback)
• Publisher: Pan Macmillan, London
• Publication Date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1035026600
• ISBN 13: 9781035026609
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

The Top Five Sunday Times Bestseller

''Excellent . . . persuasive . . . convincing'' – The Times
''Funny, whipsmart and devastating. Sanity on steroids'' – Emily Maitlis
''Fantastic. An exquisite analysis'' – The Secret Barrister

Why does nothing work in Britain?

It’s harder than ever to get a GP appointment. Burglaries go unpunished. Rivers are overrun with sewage. Real wages have been stagnant for years, even as the cost of housing rises inexorably. Why is everything going wrong at the same time?

It''s easy to blame dysfunctional politicians who are out for themselves. But, in reality, it’s more complicated. Politicians can make things better or worse, but all work within our state institutions. And ours are utterly broken.

In Failed State, Sam Freedman, one of Britain''s leading policy experts, offers a devastating analysis of where we’ve gone wrong. With historical depth and plenty of infuriating examples, he explains why British governance has fallen so far behind. Speaking to politicians of all stripes, civil servants and workers on the frontline, this book bursts with insight on the real problems that are so often hidden from the front pages. The result is a witty, landmark book that paves the way for a fairer and more prosperous Britain.

''We can only hope that every member of the new government will read and digest this book'' – David Aaronovitch, BBC Radio 4 Presenter
''Brilliantly timed and frighteningly true'' – Sir Anthony Seldon, bestselling author of Johnson at 10