Originally published in 2005. In the past three centuries Britain, Continental Europe and the United States have all experienced remarkable continuity in terms of the character and nature of the relations between the State and the economy. In a fascinating and eminently readable account, this book examines the significance of ideology in the formation of economic policy in the two groups of countries, comparing and contrasting the minimalist state-ownership societies of Britain and the United States with the interventionist states of Continental Europe. The book uncovers a continued contrast between the economic and social individualism of Britain and the United States, and the reliance on the State typical of nations in Continental Europe. The readership will benefit from a clearer understanding of the varying degrees of intervention in both the domestic and international economic policies employed, and the illuminating comparisons between the Continentals and the more market orientated nations of Britain and the United States.