Publication Devolution Digital Education and skills Growth and productivity Health and Care Machinery of government Public finances Social security 6 September, 2022

Reimagining the State: an essay

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After a decade of disruption, in the wake of the pandemic, we find ourselves at a crossroads. We can continue on our current path – attempting to manage a slow decline in our public infrastructure, accepting anaemic growth and public disillusionment – or we can forge a new one.

This essay argues that the three foundational systems underpinning prosperity – the State, Markets and Communities – are out of balance and lays out the case for a fundamental rethink of the role and shape of the State. The prize is both a more sustainable, legitimate and effective State, and one which creates the right environment for communities and markets to thrive.