Foucault and Liberal Political Economy - Power, Knowledge, and Freedom

This book argues that the ideas of Michel Foucault, often considered the most influential ''post-modernist'' thinker, are compatible with an important strain of liberal thought that values open markets, political decentralisation, and limited government. It shows how the respective traditions can be combined into a ''post-modern liberalism'' critical of the expanding web of ''pastoral powers'' acquired by contemporary welfare-regulatory states. As such, the book offers a highly original synthesis with multiple applications in contemporary public policy.