For Joan

Copyright © Colin Crouch 2016

The right of Colin Crouch to be identified as Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

First published in 2016 by Polity Press

Polity Press

65 Bridge Street

Cambridge CB2 1UR, UK

Polity Press

350 Main Street

Malden, MA 02148, USA

All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of short passages for the purpose of criticism and review, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7456-6985-4

ISBN-13: 978-0-7456-6986-1 (pb)

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Crouch, Colin, 1944-

    The knowledge corrupters : hidden consequences of the financial takeover of public life / Colin Crouch.

        pages    cm

    Includes bibliographical references and index.

    ISBN 978-0-7456-6985-4 (hardback) – ISBN 978-0-7456-6986-1 (pbk.)    1.  Public-private sector cooperation.    2.  Public administration. 3.  Human services.    4.  Neoliberalism.    I.  Title.

    HD3871.C78 2015

    306.3–dc23

            2015011654

Typeset in 11 on 13 pt Sabon

by Toppan Best-set Premedia Limited

Printed and bound in the United Kingdom by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon

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Every effort has been made to trace all copyright holders, but if any have been inadvertently overlooked the publisher will be pleased to include any necessary credits in any subsequent reprint or edition.

For further information on Polity, visit our website:

politybooks.com

I could not have written this book without the collaboration of my wife, Joan. She gathered much of the material for it; enabled me to take advantage of her years of experience in administration of the English schools system for an understanding of the working of public service professionalism, inspection and similar issues; and helped me try to make my English more accessible to general readers.

I am also grateful for ideas and encouragement from my publishers, John Thompson of Polity Press and Heinrich Geiselberger of Suhrkamp Verlag (who pointed out to me the links between what I am trying to do and the US crime series The Wire).

As always, all remaining errors and infelicities are my own responsibility.