We live in a world of deep public concern: at the fragmentation of British society, at the prospect of economic recession, at the loss of social trust and social respect. But as we reach the limits of state control and top-down government, does the centre-right really have anything more to offer than a reheat of the 1980s? Must we choose between Brown and Thatcher?

Compassionate Economics offers a unique insight into how we as a nation have become obsessed with neo-classical economics and how this obsession undermines our understanding of people and society. By rejecting the false promises of happiness theory, it reveals how an ancient theory of human well-being can be used to guide public policy.

So, what will it take for us to rebuild the foundations of our prosperity and our society?