'The Public Interest' in Regulation

by Mike Feintuck

Overview

The concept of "the public interest" is often used in legal and political discourse, lending an air of legitimacy and respectability to exercises of power. However the term is rarely defined in any meaningful sense. This book considers abstract concepts of public interest from the literature of law, political science, and economics. Using a series of case-studies from Britain and the USA, Feintuck explores how the concept is used in practice. Finally, Feintuck considers the legal forms in which the public interest might be manifested to offer legitimate and effective protection to vulnerable democratic values by the regulation of private power.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780199269020
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	01/06/2005
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	9.30(w) x 6.20(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Dr Mike Feintuck is Professor of Law at the University of Hull.

Table of Contents

Part 1: Analytical Framework1. How is the Public Interest Determined? 2. Towards a Cemocratic Vision of the Public InterestPart 2: Case Studies3. The Public Interest in Regulatory Activity I: UK4. The Public Interest in Regulatory Activity II: USA5. Divided by a Common language: TransAtlantic ComparisonsPart 3: Synthesis and Conclusions6. The Holy Grail- or Just another Empty Vessel? 7. Reinvigorating the Public InterestBibliographyIndex

Editorial Reviews

"We are indebted to Mike Feintuck for a sustained and focused examination of the legal literature's varied perspectives on the public interest."—The Law and Politics Book Review

From the Publisher