Is the Welfare State in Trouble?

Assar Lindbeck

Eastern Economic Journal, 1987, vol. 13, issue 4, 345-351

Abstract: The social benefits and the counteracting costs of the modern welfare state are examined. A modern welfare state has made significant contributions to total welfare by mitigating poverty, providing greater equality of wealth, increasing the supply of human capital and reducing uncertainty. These programs can be pushed beyond the point of net social benefit when the tax burden is so heavy (at the margin) that it results in a reduction of total output. Evidence is adduced to suggest that the "transfer states" of countries in northwest Europe have negative marginal benefits.

Date: 1987
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eej:eeconj:v:13:y:1987:i:4:p:345-351

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