Is the government becoming less powerful? Is it in retreat vis-a-vis a proliferation of non-governmental agencies, multinational corporations, and international organizations? The essays in this collection argue that – contrary to some private-sector populists – the state is in the best position to lead in making policy in a rapidly changing world and should retain and refine this responsibility. Examining the interaction of government, international organizations, civil society, and the private sector, the contributors show that government, far from being stagnant, is in a constant state of transformation and revitalization. It may work to prepare citizens for changes that often seem inevitable and sometimes it challenges, even resists, the directions or modes of such change. It remains an important – perhaps the most crucial – actor in the governance process.

Gordon S. Smith is executive director of the Centre for Global Studies, University of Victoria, and chairs the board of the International Development Research Centre.

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Daniel Wolfish is currently a Strategic Priorities Analyst for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.

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