The Welfare State

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the historical background of the development of the welfare state and offers definitions of the terms Keynesianism and neo liberalism. The paper analyzes the shift from an earlier system to the Keynesian one and then to the neo liberal one and explains the interests involved in the process. Overall, it can be said that the welfare state and the neoliberal one are two distinctive theories which in today's world tend to be combined in a state which promotes free competition and liberal market principles but at the same time take more into consideration the idea of social protection and social assistance, particularly because of the electoral significance of such measures.

Outline:
Historical background
Definitions
Effects of the End of the Fall of the Welfare State and the Emergence of the Neoliberal Mechanisms for the Social Assistance System

From the Paper:

"The Second World War represented one of the most significant periods in the history of human kind because its effects were determinant for the following decades in terms of economic development, social behavior, as well as cultural changes. However, one of the most important aspects which are to be taken into consideration when discussing the effects of the World War is strongly related to the economic environment which followed it. In this sense, the economic practices and policies changed in order to cater for the needs of a global society recovering from a world conflagration which placed under pressure the entire economic system. In this context the various theories that tried to explain the evolution of the economies have managed to create different systems that would eventually set in motion the resources of the world."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Bezanson. Kate. "Gender, the State, and Social Reproduction: Household Insecurity in Neo-Liberal Times". University of Toronto Press, 2006. Review. Canadian Journal of Sociology Online. 2007. 29 March 2008 http://www.cjsonline.ca/reviews/genderstate.html
• Dunleavy, Patrick, and Brendan O'Leary. Theories of the state. the Politics of Liberal Democracy. London and New York: Macmillan and Meredith, 1987.
• George, Susan. "Short History of Neoliberalism". Conference on Economic Sovereignty in a Globalising World. March 24-26, 1999. 29 March 2008 http://www.globalpolicy.org/globaliz/econ/histneol.htm
• Klein, Rudolph. "Why Britain's Conservatives Support A Socialist Health Care System". Health Affairs. n.d. 29 March 2008 http://content.healthaffairs.org/cgi/reprint/4/1/41.pdf
• Marcuzzo, Cristina. Keynes and the Welfare State. Dipartimento di Scienze Economiche, Universita di Roma. N.d.

More papers on The Welfare State:

• Research Paper # 118876 : "Origins and Possible Renewal of the Welfare State"
• Essay # 32804 : "Should the Welfare State be Dismantled?"
• Argumentative Essay # 31251 : "State Power Is Male Power": Women And The Welfare State"

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