The Puzzle State: How to govern wicked problems in western democracies

The wicked problems of our time—climate change, migration, inequality, productivity, and mental health—remain stubbornly unresolved in Western democracies. It’s time for a new way to puzzle.

This book takes the reader on a journey from London to Berlin, and from Rome to Washington DC and Copenhagen, to discover why modern politics keeps breaking down. We’re tackling twenty-first century problems with twentiethcentury quick fixes and nineteenth-century institutions.

In search of answers, the author gate-crashes a Conservative party at an English estate, visits a stressed-out German minister at his Mallorcan holiday home, and listens in on power gossip in Washington DC’s restaurant scene. The Puzzle State offers one of the most engaging and insightful analyses of Western democracies in recent years. Based on over 100 interviews with top political players, surveys conducted across five countries, and stories of high-profile policy failures, it uncovers a missing link in reform efforts: the absence of ongoing feedback loops between decision-makers and frontline practitioners in schools, hospitals, and companies.

But there is a way forward. The author introduces the concept of the Puzzle State, which uses collective intelligence and AI to (re)connect politicians with the people implementing reforms on the ground. The Puzzle State tackles highprofile wicked problems and enables policies to adapt as they meet messy realities. No one holds all the pieces in the Puzzle State. The feedback loop must cut across all sectors—from civil society to corporations—just like solving a complex puzzle requires commitment, cooperation, and creativity.

“Western democracies need a serious makeover to reconnect to their roots and deliver to citizens. Read this thought-provoking, insightful, and entertaining book about how we can change democracy.” Margrethe Vestager, former Executive Vice-President of the European Commission

“A compelling read on why so many issues facing us today feel insurmountable and an insightful guide on how democracy can evolve to overcome them.” Steny Hoyer, Congress member (D) and former House Majority Leader in the USA

“What an intriguing account of what ails Western democracies and how we need to shift how we think and act in practice to make a real difference to the basic challenges that really matter to citizens. A much-needed recipe for the renewal of the liberal democratic state.” Charles Leadbeater, author, former advisor to Tony Blair and editor at Financial Times

“At last here is someone who has worked out how to unscramble complexity. Sigge’s book is liberating, enlightening and a must read.” Charles Laundry CL, co-founder of the Creative Bureaucracy Festival

© 2025 Gads Forlag (Ebook): 9788712804086

Release date

Ebook: 28 August 2025