Governments have developed a convenient habit of blaming social problems on their citizens, placing too much emphasis on personal responsibility and pursuing policies to ‘nudge’ their citizens to better behaviour.

Keith Dowding shows that, in fact, responsibility for many of our biggest social crises – including homelessness, gun crime, obesity, drug addiction and problem gambling – should be laid at the feet of politicians.

He calls for us to stop scapegoating fellow citizens and to demand more from our governments, who have the real power and responsibility to alleviate social problems and bring about lasting change.

Keith Dowding is Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Political Philosophy at the Australian National University. Previously he was Professor of Political Science at the London School of Economics. He has published over 90 articles and 20 books including Rational Choice and Political Power (Bristol University Press, 2019).