The Welfare State as Piggy Bank: Information, Risk, Uncertainty, and the Role of the State'Presents a cogently argued account of the principles underlying Welfare State policies and their practical consequences... I have not seen the economic and public policy distinction between compulsory and post-compulsory education set out so clearly and convincingly before.' -Judith Marquand, Mansfield College, Oxford, Journal of Public Policy'The book is a fruitful blend of economic modelling and institutional analysis... An impressive feature is the author's discussion in each section of 'twenty first century issues' and the final part of the book on 'The Welfare State in a Changing World'... this book goes to the heart of the economic issues surrounding the welfare state, and stimulates the reader to further thought.' -Tony Atkinson, Nuffield College, Oxford'If I were asked to design a social policy course from scratch... I would certainly include Nicholas Barr's book as a key text... this is a stimulating and successful text, a good example of the contribution economic analysis can make to social policy teaching and study.' -Rudolf Klein, London School of Economics and London School of Hygiene, Social Policy'Barr's book can be strongly recommended to anyone with an interest in the development of social policy... Excellent and timely.' -Sir Howard Davies, Times Higher Education SupplementThis book is about economics and its application to the welfare state. Its core argument is that the welfare state exists for reasons additional to poverty relief, reasons arising out of pervasive problems of imperfect information, risk, and uncertainty. Barr focuses on the efficiency argument, indicating that the welfare state is here to stay, and discusses the ways in which it can and will adapt to economic and social change. |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
actuarial adverse selection argued argument assets Barr benefits borrowing cent central choice competitive consumer consumption smoothing contrast contributions costs countries cover debt defined-contribution discussed in Chapter earnings economic effects efficiency employer equity example face fees finance fiscal funded schemes genetic screening higher education human capital imperfect information incentives income income-contingent loans income-contingent repayments increase individual inefficient inflation information problems institutions interest rate investment issue labour mobility loan scheme market failures medical insurance medical spending ment moral hazard net present value OECD output PAYG scheme pension funds pension scheme pension spending person political poverty line poverty relief premium pressures private insurance private lenders private pensions public spending reduce regulation result retirement risk saving Secondly Section social insurance Social Security student loans Student Loans Company subsidy tertiary education tion transition tuition uncertainty universities welfare workers World Bank