Michael Pusey was educated in England, France, Australia and the United States, where he took his doctorate at Harvard. He is the author of the best-selling Economic Rationalism in Canberra and is presently Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of New South Wales.

'Commentators talk about Middle Australia. In this humane and scholarly book, Michael Pusey talks with Middle Australians instead, to find out what they think is happening to their world. The result is fascinating. One of the most important contributions to Australian self-understanding of recent years.' Robert Manne

• Introduction: economic reform; 1. Incomes and meanings; 2. Jobs work and fairness … In the wake of Labour market reform; 3. Working families: struggling with the costs of reform; 4. Civil societies and communities; 5. Politics, power and institutions; 6. Conclusion.

Michael Pusey was educated in England, France, Australia and the United States, where he took his doctorate at Harvard. He is the author of the best-selling Economic Rationalism in Canberra and is presently Honorary Visiting Professor at the University of New South Wales.

'Commentators talk about Middle Australia. In this humane and scholarly book, Michael Pusey talks with Middle Australians instead, to find out what they think is happening to their world. The result is fascinating. One of the most important contributions to Australian self-understanding of recent years.' Robert Manne

• Introduction: economic reform; 1. Incomes and meanings; 2. Jobs work and fairness … In the wake of Labour market reform; 3. Working families: struggling with the costs of reform; 4. Civil societies and communities; 5. Politics, power and institutions; 6. Conclusion.