Pt. I. Australia's economic performance. 1. A narrow economic view. 2. A broader welfare perspective. 3. The scourge of high unemployment: where we went wrong -- Pt. II. The dangers of economic extremism. 4. Why old style state paternalism (statism) will not work. 5. A critique of hard liberalism 1: the goals. 6. A critique of hard liberalism 2: the intermediate targets. 7. A critique of hard liberalism 3: the instruments -- Pt. III. Progressive liberalism: an alternative strategy. 8. A consensual social agenda. 9. A macro-economic policy to promote growth and employment. 10. Structural policies to promote growth and employment -- Pt. IV. The international evidence. 11. Multi-country studies. 12. The East-Asian experience. 13. The New Zealand experience. 14. The United Kingdom experience. 15. Australians experience with progressive liberalism in an international context -- Pt. V. The battleground between hard and progressive liberalism
16. How the issues are perceived by economists and the community. 17. The counter-coalition of free-market interests. 18. Mobilising support for progressive liberalism -- Pt. VI. Concluding comments. 19. Preserving a decent society -- App. How differences in values bear on the policy debate
Summary
Australia at the Crossroads is a comprehensive and systematic critique of the radical free market agenda, and a warning against the false dawn offered by that or any other form of economic extremism. It opts squarely for the progressive liberal path - one which will safeguard the 'fair go' society which Australians take pride in, without impairing our capacity to further improve living standards
Analysis
Australia overseas comparisons
Economic conditions
Economic growth
Economic policy
Economic theory
Federal issue
Gross domestic product
Income distribution
Market forces
Social values
Statistics
Unemployment
Notes
Includes index
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 268-280) and index