Wealth and Welfare States

Is America a Laggard or Leader?

Business & Finance, Economics, Public Finance, Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science
Cover of the book Wealth and Welfare States by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding, OUP Oxford
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding ISBN: 9780191037559
Publisher: OUP Oxford Publication: January 28, 2010
Imprint: OUP Oxford Language: English
Author: Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
ISBN: 9780191037559
Publisher: OUP Oxford
Publication: January 28, 2010
Imprint: OUP Oxford
Language: English

This book explores the role of the welfare state in the overall wealth and wellbeing of nations and in particular looks at the American welfare state in comparison with other developed nations in Europe and elsewhere. It is widely believed that the welfare state undermines productivity and economic growth, that the United States has an unusually small welfare state, and that it is, and always has been, a welfare state laggard. This book shows that all rich nations, including the United States, have large welfare states because the socialized programs that comprise the welfare state-public education and health and social insurance—enhance the productivity of capitalism. In public education, the most productive part of the welfare state, for most of the 19th and 20th centuries, the United States was a leader. Though few would argue that public education is not part of the welfare state, most previous cross national analyses of welfare states have omitted education. Including education has profound consequences, undergirding the case for the productivity of welfare state programs and the explanation for why all rich nations have large welfare states, and identifying US welfare state leadership. From 1968 through 2006, the United States swung right politically and lost its lead in education and opportunity, failed to adopt universal health insurance and experienced the most rapid explosion of health care costs and economic inequality in the rich world. The American welfare state faces large challenges. Restoring its historical lead in education is the most important but requires investing large sums in education, beginning with universal pre-school and in complementary programs that aid children's development. The American health insurance system is by far the most costly in the rich world, yet fails to insure one sixth of its population, produces below average results, crowds out useful investments in children, and is the least equitably financed. Achieving universal coverage will increase costs. Only complete government financing is likely to restrain long term costs. In memory of Robert J. Lampman Colleague, Co-author, Friend and Mentor

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

This book explores the role of the welfare state in the overall wealth and wellbeing of nations and in particular looks at the American welfare state in comparison with other developed nations in Europe and elsewhere. It is widely believed that the welfare state undermines productivity and economic growth, that the United States has an unusually small welfare state, and that it is, and always has been, a welfare state laggard. This book shows that all rich nations, including the United States, have large welfare states because the socialized programs that comprise the welfare state-public education and health and social insurance—enhance the productivity of capitalism. In public education, the most productive part of the welfare state, for most of the 19th and 20th centuries, the United States was a leader. Though few would argue that public education is not part of the welfare state, most previous cross national analyses of welfare states have omitted education. Including education has profound consequences, undergirding the case for the productivity of welfare state programs and the explanation for why all rich nations have large welfare states, and identifying US welfare state leadership. From 1968 through 2006, the United States swung right politically and lost its lead in education and opportunity, failed to adopt universal health insurance and experienced the most rapid explosion of health care costs and economic inequality in the rich world. The American welfare state faces large challenges. Restoring its historical lead in education is the most important but requires investing large sums in education, beginning with universal pre-school and in complementary programs that aid children's development. The American health insurance system is by far the most costly in the rich world, yet fails to insure one sixth of its population, produces below average results, crowds out useful investments in children, and is the least equitably financed. Achieving universal coverage will increase costs. Only complete government financing is likely to restrain long term costs. In memory of Robert J. Lampman Colleague, Co-author, Friend and Mentor

More books from OUP Oxford

Cover of the book Myths of the Underworld in Contemporary Culture by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Host Manipulation by Parasites by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Stroke Medicine by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book The Architecture of Collapse by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book The Many Moral Rationalisms by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book The Oxford Handbook of Legal History by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Judgment and Agency by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Dog Behaviour, Evolution, and Cognition by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Civil Procedure Handbook 2012/2013 by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Morality and the Nature of Law by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Common: The Development of Literary Culture in Sixteenth-Century England by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Thucydides on the Outbreak of War by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Behavioural Responses to a Changing World by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book Druids: A Very Short Introduction by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
Cover of the book The Oxford Companion to Consciousness by Irwin Garfinkel, Lee Rainwater, Timothy Smeeding
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy