The Welfare State

Assar Lindbeck has made a significant impact on modern economic thought in the course of a long and distinguished career. This volume features some of the important essays and papers that are the product of Professor Lindbeck's long interest in Welfare State issues.

The Welfare State is divided into three parts, the first of which examines the driving forces behind the welfare state, how it has emerged and the redistributional policies it employs. Part two looks at the economic consequences of the welfare state, the effect on work and savings and on the division of labour among markets, government and family. Part three examines the broader consequences for society of the modern welfare state, suggesting that the burgeoning public sector not only alters economic incentives and the distribution of income and wealth, it also changes the role of the family, influences freedom of choice and makes honesty more 'expensive'. This part concludes with a discussion of the role of public spending and taxation policies in developing countries.

This volume includes an extensive introduction by Professor Lindbeck. Macroeconomics and Economic Policy, the first of Professor Lindbeck's selected essays is also available.