Sack, Detlef (2019). Vom Staat zum Markt. Privatisierung aus politikwissenschaftlicher Sicht. Wiesbaden: VS Verlag, XVII/379 Seiten. ISBN 978-3-658-26872-5; ISBN 978-3-658-26873-2 (eBook); https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-26873-2.

The book by Detlef Sack provides a profound overview of the topic of “privatisation” from a political science perspective. First of all, different forms of privatisation are presented. Then the privatisation topic is placed in the context of political and economic theories. After an overview of the history of privatisation in Germany, Europe and selected countries in Africa and Asia, the author describes and analyses privatisation projects in various policy fields. He then points out the need for an effective regulatory regime for the privatisation of public tasks and services. In a next step, the economic, social and power-political effects of privatisation are outlined. Finally, current reactions to privatisation in the form of remunicipalisation and perspectives for further privatisation research in political science are presented. The book is characterized by a pleasant objectivity in dealing with a politically and scientifically often very controversially discussed topic and can therefore be recommended for reading to anyone interested in this subject.