Transatlantic Policymaking in an Age of Austerity: Diversity and Drift. Edited by Martin A. Levin and Martin Shapiro. Washington, DC: Georgetown University Press, 2004. 344p. $29.95 paper.

In an age when we are aware of our increasing global connections with one another, it is only fitting that we should observe the larger similarities that we may share with other nations in the realm of policymaking. In this book, editors Martin A. Levin and Martin Shapiro argue that policymakers on both the conservative and liberal side of the spectrum are so concerned about courting undecided voters who take a “middle of the road” stance that they often compromise bold or innovative policy initiatives in the name of moderation to attract these neutral voters. To complicate matters, most governments are facing austere conditions—which suggests that while demographic and political forces shape policymaking, economic variables play a pivotal role as well. The end result of this complex scenario is that policymakers are more likely to be conformists than trailblazers.