The return of the public : democracy, power and the case for media reform

Our politicians have ever-decreasing legitimacy. Even as they amass ever more riches our financiers are now morally and intellectually bankrupt. In their different ways politicians and those who control the private economy system claim to be acting in the public interest. Yet we, the public, have little say in decision-making and almost no power to change the terms of a series of increasingly absurd debates about economic and foreign policy. How have we been excluded from so many discussions about the public interest?Dan Hind traces how, historically, political and intellectual elites constructed deeply ambiguous ideas of the public, designed to serve their own ends and preserve the status quo. After the Second World War, as women, ethnic minorities, the young, and the working majority became more assertive and self-confident, the propertied and their allies in the state made fresh attempts to deny most of us a public identity. The financial crisis, and the ability of those who caused it to preside over policy-making in its aftermath, have made it impossible to ignore what has long been obvious: the institutions on which most of us rely for our knowledge of the wider world have become radically and demonstrably unaccountable and unsafe. For decades, the public has been told to leave democracy to the experts. Now, Hind outlines a way forward for a new participatory politics, one based on the wholesale reform of the media. After the failure of the private, now is the time for the return of the public. Our Politicians Have Ever-decreasing Legitimacy, Our Financiers -- Their Huge Corporate Risks Underwritten By The Taxpayer -- Are Literally And Morally Bankrupt. All This Is Done In The Name Of Us, The Public, Yet We Seem To Have No Genuine Say In Decision-making And No Power To Effect Change. Why Not? Hind Traces How, Historically, Political And Intellectual Elites Constructed A Deeply Ambiguous Idea Of The Public, One Designed To Serve Their Own Ends And Preserve The Ruling Status Quo. After The Second World War, As Democratization By Previously Marginalized Groups -- Women, Ethnic Minorities, The Young -- Presented New Challenges To The Establishment, Governments Made Fresh Attempts To Exclude Them From Genuine Political Participation, Invoking The Arcane Expertise Of Allegedly Liberal Economics And The Mystic Qualities Of Nationalism, Fueled By A Compliant Mass Media. For Decades, The Public Has Been Told To Leave Democracy To The Experts. Now, Hind Outlines A Way Forward For A New Participatory Politics, One Based On The Wholesale Reform Of The Media. After The Failure Of The Private, Now Is The Time For The Return Of The Public.--dust Jacket. The Classical Public -- Private Vices And Public Virtues -- Public Servants -- The American Republic -- Neoliberal Politics -- The Outlines Of The Crisis -- Estranged From The World -- Estranged From Each Other -- Estranged From Ourselves -- Public Commissioning -- A Public System Of Knowledge -- Reforming The Private Sector -- A Commonwealth Of Descriptions. Dan Hind. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Our politicians have ever-decreasing legitimacy. Even as they amass ever more riches our financiers are now morally and intellectually bankrupt. In their different ways politicians and those who control the private economy system claim to be acting in the public interest. Yet we, the public, have little say in decision-making and almost no power to change the terms of a series of increasingly absurd debates about economic and foreign policy. How have we been excluded from so many discussions about the public interest? Dan Hind traces how, historically, political and intellectual elites constructed deeply ambiguous ideas of the public, designed to serve their own ends and preserve the status quo. After the Second World War, as women, ethnic minorities, the young, and the working majority became more assertive and self-confident, the propertied and their allies in the state made fresh attempts to deny most of us a public identity. The financial crisis, and the ability of those who caused it to preside over policy-making in its aftermath, have made it impossible to ignore what has long been the institutions on which most of us rely for our knowledge of the wider world have become radically and demonstrably unaccountable and unsafe. For decades, the public has been told to leave democracy to the experts. Now, Hind outlines a way forward for a new participatory politics, one based on the wholesale reform of the media. After the failure of the private, now is the time for the return of the public.