End State

Amid a drought of new ideas on the left, the former Gordon Brown aide turned thinktank wonk has produced a cheerful but realistic book arguing that an era of technological and political upheaval could still be harnessed for the public good. Things, as they say, can only get better * GUARDIAN * A refreshingly optimistic book. Plunkett is a well-respected policy thinker who has spent the last decade and a half variously in Downing Street, studying at Harvard, in think tanks and at NGOs. He is well versed in his subject matter and on top of the detail...his style is engaging and personal. The reader experiences each chapter almost as a journey, exploring the topics alongside a knowledgeable and chatty tour guide * PROSPECT MAGAZINE * End State is absolutely superb. If you're looking for a book that is honest about the problems of the future but leaves you hopeful about solutions, then this is it -- Jon Richardson Insightful and revealing: a brilliant exploration of how ideas currently on the edge of politics could move into the mainstream -- Danny Dorling, author of SLOWDOWN A deft - and rare - combination of vision and pragmatism, End States offers a compelling set of ideas for those who refuse to let our recent crises be wasted -- James Ball, winner of the Pulitzer Prize An absolute tour de force. I read the first page and couldn't stop reading -- Mark Stevenson, author of AN OPTIMIST'S TOUR OF THE FUTURE End State is a must read for anyone who's interested in how we deliver fairness and prosperity in the digital age. The problems James describes are big, but so are the ideas to solve them. This is a compelling, thought-provoking and above all optimistic book -- Anushka Asthana, Deputy political editor, ITV NEWS As well as working in digital technology, James has a background in both economics and welfare rights. In this book, he brings these different disciplines into a stimulating and productive conversation. He is well aware of the dangers of the digital economy but also bracingly optimistic about how they might be tackled. A simple, well-crafted and useful contribution to a vital debate -- Aditya Chakrabortty, Guardian columnist and Senior Economics commentator This is a valuable addition to the increasingly compelling literature on the broken social contract. End State differs from so many books of this type, in that it offers not just problems but fixes - including ideas that might actually get done. An informed, thought-provoking, and uplifting read -- Professor Diane Coyle, author of COGS AND MONSTERS His analysis of what needs to be re-thought and repaired is beautifully written, clear and ultimately optimistic. This book made me think. For me, there is no higher praise -- Gavin Esler, author of HOW BRITAIN ENDS A book full of bold ideas for how to make life better. James Plunkett is a one man think tank and his ideas deserve a wide audience -- Andrew Adonis, author of SAVING BRITAIN From markets to jobs to government to life itself, James Plunkett offers a bold, compelling and above all optimistic vision of how to build a better world. Whether you end up agreeing with him or not, you really should read this book. -- Anand Menon, Professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King's College London An antidote to pessimism. Plunkett shows how we can redesign government for the future - moving not left or right, but simply forward. It's a plan to harness the digital economy to create a better future for all. Truly worth reading and acting upon -- Carlota Perez, Author of Technological Revolutions and Financial Capital: the Dynamics of Bubbles and Golden Ages