The Logic of Discipline: Global Capitalism and the Architecture of Government

220 Pages·2010·2.349 MB·English

by  Alasdair Roberts

The Logic of Discipline
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The Logic of Discipline
Global Capitalism and the
Architecture of Government
Alasdair Roberts
1
1
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First issued as an Oxford University Press paperback, 2011.
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Library of Congress Cataloging‐in‐Publication Data
Roberts, Alasdair (Alasdair Scott)
The logic of discipline : global capitalism and the architecture of government / Alasdair Roberts.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-19-537498-8 (hardcover); 978-0-19-984614-6
1. Capitalism—Political aspects. 2. Democracy—Economic aspects.
3. International finance—Political aspects. 4. Democratization. I. Title.
HB501.R57 2010
330.12'2—dc22 2009028994
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Printed in the United States of America
on acid‐free paper
The past couple of decades have witnessed a major shift in the attitude of
many policymakers around the world. They have become increasingly
aware of the importance of markets and market‐friendly policies. They
have also come to realize—many of them for the fi rst time—the benefi ts
that the discipline of the markets can bring.
—Anne O. Krueger, fi rst deputy director of the International Monetary Fund, 2003
These guardians of our state, inasmuch as their work is the most important
of all, will need the most complete freedom from other occupations and
the greatest amount of skill and practice.
— Plato, The Republic, Chapter 7
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A cknowledgments
T he ideas in this book have been percolating for several years. Many of the
topics contained within it were discussed in a class on public services reform
that I taught at Queen’s University in Canada from 1996 to 2001 and then at
Syracuse University from 2002 to 2008. Some of these chapters were also
presented as lectures at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of
Administration in Mussoorie, India, in 2007 and 2008. I’ve benefi ted from
the comments of participants in these classes and lectures.
S uffolk University Law School gave me the opportunity to write this book
in 2008–2009, and several of my new colleagues at Suffolk helped me to
refi ne the manuscript. Thanks are due as well to Jerry and Phyllis Rappaport,
whose generosity has made possible the establishment of the chair which
I now hold.
M y editor at Oxford University Press, David McBride, gave valuable advice
and encouragement throughout the process of writing and revision. I’m also
indebted to three students in the MPA program at Syracuse University who
assisted with the research for this book in 2007–2008: Guillaume Lechasseur,
Fernando Pavon, and James Puckett.
Finally, I’m grateful for the enduring and indispensable support of my
wife, Sandra, and my children, John and Constance; my parents, James and
Nancy Roberts, and my parents‐in‐law, Guntis and Inta Sraders.
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Contents
Figures xi
1. The Logic of Discipline 3
2. The Quiet Revolution: Central Bank Independence 23
3. Treasury Power and Fiscal Rules 47
4. Islands in the Public Sector: Tax Collectors 65
5. The Gates of Trade: Autonomous Mainports 75
6. Protecting Capital: Independent Regulators and Super Courts 97
7. Devils in the Details: Long‐Term Infrastructure Contracts 117
8. Beyond Discipline 135
Notes 151
Afterword 195
Index 201