Small Business, Big Government and the Origins of Enterprise Policy: The UK Bolton Committee

The Bolton Committee Report was produced during a period of political change in the UK, with the emergence of a new free market, economic liberalism, and interventionism. This book provides new insights into the tensions between these agendas and the origins, operation, and outcomes of the Bolton Committee, which is widely seen as responsible for the small firm agenda in the UK. It will be of interest to scholars and PhD students working in entrepreneurship, small business management, and business history.

Format: Hardback
Length: 114 pages
Publication date: 03 September 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Small Firms (the Bolton Committee Report) emerged during a period of significant political transformation. The 1970s in the UK marked the dawn of a new era, characterized by the decline of interventionism and 'big government' and the emergence of economic liberalism. Simultaneously, this period witnessed the establishment of a substantial agenda to intervene in the economy through a wide array of government initiatives aimed at fostering and enabling small firms and entrepreneurship.

To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the publication of the Bolton Committees report, this book offers fresh perspectives on the interplay between these potentially conflicting political agendas that would ultimately shape our modern economy. It provides the first in-depth analysis of the origins, operations, and outcomes of the Bolton Committee, widely regarded as the driving force behind the small firm agenda in the UK. By delving into these aspects, the book generates valuable insights not only into the birth of enterprise policy in the UK but also into the broader shifts in political economy that witnessed powerful tensions between free market rhetoric and emerging forms of interventionism in practice.

This book will appeal to scholars and PhD students specializing in entrepreneurship, small business management, and business history. It offers a comprehensive examination of the historical context, policy implications, and enduring legacies of the Bolton Committee Report, providing valuable insights into the complex dynamics of small firms and entrepreneurship in the UK and beyond.

Weight: 268g
Dimension: 142 x 222 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367634308