http://worldcat.org/entity/work/id/837040241

Secrecy and open government why governments want you to know

Does the Labour Government's commitment to freedom of information mean the end of excessive secrecy in the United Kingdom? Why has the UK finally decided to join the many other countries that enjoy a 'right to know'? This book analyses the current debate over open government by examining a wide range of issues: data protection and MI5; civil service reform and freedom of information; freedom of information practice in other countries and surveillance theory. Robertson challenges the conventional view that freedom of information was inevitable and that open government is the result of democratic ideals or enlightened government. Both secrecy and freedom of information reflect the interests of the rulers and not the ruled. The book offers a radical and challenging alternative to the conventional view that open government is concerned with the democratic ideal of empowering the people.

Open All Close All