The book puts on record for the first time the candid views of cabinet ministers, political insiders and commentators to provide a unique insight into the nature of leadership and the struggles of government. It is not only a compelling account of the far-reaching legacy of Labor's longest serving government, it sheds new and important light on the man who led it.

Foreword / Bob Hawke -- Introduction / Susan Ryan and Troy Bramson -- Part One. The Hawke era and political style: Prologue / Craig McGregor -- The beginning of everything / Michael Gordon -- Hawke and the Australian people: the love affair with the electorate and the media / Amanda Buckley -- Hawke's opposition: from Malcolm Fraser to John Hewson / Gerard Henderson -- The Hawke leadership model / Troy Bramston. Part Two. Managing government: The Hawke cabinets / Neal Blewett -- The passionate persuader / Graham Freudenberg -- Hawke the campaigner / Bob Hogg -- Hawke's big tent: elite pluralism and the politics of inclusion / Tony Moore. Part Three. Policy and the Hawke Government: Economic reform: a barrel of thrills and spills / Alan Mitchell with David Bassanese -- The economy: a perspective from the inside / Ralph Willis -- Employment and industry / John Button -- The environment / Phillip Toyne and Simon Balderstone -- Education policy / Jim McMorrow -- Women's policy / Susan Ryan -- Making a difference in health care / Stephen Duckett --Social impacts of the Hawke years / Julian Disney -- Restraint with equity: social protection in Australia in the 1980s / Brian Howe -- Arts policy and cultural identity / Di Yerbury -- Primary industry policy / John Kerin -- Mates and micro-economic reform: the transport and communications portfolio under Hawke / Anne Davies -- Promise, confrontation and compromise in indigenous affairs / Patrick Dodson, Martin Mowbray and Warren Snowdon --Immigration, multiculturalism and racism / Mary Kalantzis -- The accord, industrial relations and the trade union movement / Bill Kelty -- The Hawke years: foreign affairs and defence / Kim Beazley -- The public service and management of the public sector / Michael Keating -- The institutions of governance: parliament, the executive, the judiciary and law reform / David Bradbury. Part Four. Reflections and assessments: Hawke and the labor tradition / David day -- The Hawke Government: an assessment from the inside / Barry Jones -- The Hawke Government: an assessment from the outside / Geoff Kitney -- Appendix 1. Studying the Hawke Government: a bibliographical essay / John Warhurst and Jim Chalmers -- Appendix 2. Cabinets and ministries, 1983-91 -- Appendix 3. Election summaries, 1983-91.

Includes index.