Examining schools, libraries, prisons, asylums, and vaccines, this study is the first comprehensive look at the origins of public services.

Ben W. Ansell is Professor of Comparative Democratic Institutions, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford, Nuffield College. He works on the political economy of education, inequality, and wealth. Co-authored with David Samuels, his book Inequality and Democratization: An Elite-Competition Approach won the 2014 Woodrow Wilson award for best book in political science. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and co-editor of Comparative Political Studies.

Part I. A Revolution in Government: 1. Two cities; 2. Public services; Part II. Order: 3. The police; 4. Prisons; Part III. Knowledge: 5. Schools; 6. Libraries; Part IV. Health: 7. Asylums; 8. Vaccinations; 9. Midwifery; Part V. The Origins of Public Services: 10. Conclusions.