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The Economics of the Welfare State

Sixth Edition

Nicholas Barr

February 2020

ISBN: 9780198748588

424 pages
Paperback
246x189mm

In Stock

Price: £49.99

The only book to provide a focused and accessible overview of the UK and European welfare systems, moving away from general public economics to concentrate on cash benefits, the health system, and education.

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Description

The sixth edition of this successful textbook discusses the different parts of the welfare system and, in particular, cash benefits, the health service, and education.

  • The only UK textbook to focus on welfare issues such as education, health care, pensions and poverty relief, rather than general public economics
  • Analyses the major elements of the welfare state within a coherent, theoretical framework, to help students engage with the discussions
  • Emphasises British and European welfare systems, allowing students to see the direct relevance and real-world application of their learning
  • An international range of examples gives students the opportunity to compare different institutions and global welfare issues
  • Also available as an e-book with functionality, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support

New to this edition

  • Brand new 'Where are we in the story?' feature which identifies how each chapter fits in with the rest of the book
  • Increased cross-references help students recall the key content of previous chapters and signpost how the material is linked
  • Additional discussion of gender incorporated throughout the book, with a new section in Chapter 5
  • End of chapter discussion questions expanded, giving readers further opportunities to test their understanding
  • Updated data, references, and policy discussion

About the Author(s)

Nicholas Barr, Professor of Public Economics, European Institute, the London School of Economics

Table of Contents

    Part 1: Concepts
    1:Introduction
    2:Political theory: Social justice and the state
    3:Economic theory 1: State intervention
    4:Economic theory 2: Insurance
    5:Distribution: Welfare, poverty, and inequality
    Part 2: Cash Benefits
    6:Insurance: Unemployment, sickness, and disability
    7:Consumption smoothing: Old-age pensions
    8:Poverty relief
    Part 3: Benefits in Kind
    9:Health and health care
    10:School education
    11:Tertiary education
    Part 4: Epilogue
    12:Conclusion: Looking to the future

Additional Resources

The Economics of the Welfare State is augmented by a range of online resources for both lecturers and students.

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Poverty: A Very Short Introduction

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