"Created by Congress in 1953, the SBA does not conform to traditional interpretations of interests-group democracy. Even though the public - and Congress - favors small enterprise, there has never been a unified group of small business owners requesting the government's help. Indeed, the SBA often has failed to address the real problems of "Mom and Pop" shop owners, fueling the ongoing debate about the agency's viability.".

"Big Government and Affirmative Action draws interesting parallels between affirmative action for small business, which few have questioned, and racial preferences, which remain highly controversial. Showing how the politics of affirmative action often makes strange bedfellows, Bean delves into the fascinating, if frustrating, history of a federal agency."--BOOK JACKET.