I would like to thank several people without whom this book would not have been possible. Firstly the research staff at ResPublica who put together the briefings without which I would not have been able to complete the book. They are Adam Schoenborn, who worked on a number of aspects but particularly on the social crisis and democratic renewal chapters. Samuel Middleton, who, almost single-handed, put together the material for the prosperity chapter, and Sandra Gruescu who worked particularly on the family and its history. Secondly I would like to thank NESTA for their permission to republish a version of the ‘Ownership State’ paper that we published in September 2009 and I would like to repeat my thanks to all those who helped with that publication, particularly Simon Caulkin and John Seddon. Others who contributed to various aspects of the book were Michael Merrick, Emma Gordan, Dina Reznikova, Caroline McFarland and Kim Mandeng. I would also like to profoundly thank my agent Hannah Westland from RCW, and Kate Murray-Browne and Neil Belton from Faber and Faber, all of whom have persisted and positively encouraged the production and creation of what has now appeared. Finally my most consummate thanks and deepest debt go to John Milbank without whose time, dedication and sheer editorial enthusiasm this book would have not have appeared.
Thank you to you all.