Publisher's Synopsis
Examines the contradictions and conflicts that characterise the welfare state by exploring three distinct orientations to the study of social welfare policy: social welfare as a function of conflicting values and ideologies; social welfare as a camouflage for inherent class, gender, and inter-group conflicts; and social welfare as a function of the technological bases of society. The author discusses the assets and liabilities of the 'unlimited growth' and 'limited' welfare states and compares the viability of the traditional entitlement-oriented welfare state and the means-tested welfare state.
