For politicians and policy-makers almost everywhere, the future of the welfare state has forced itself to the top of the political agenda. Beyond the Welfare State? represents a sophisticated and comprehensive introduction to the problems with which these policy-makers must struggle. This new edition of Beyond the Welfare State? has been thoroughly revised and updated drawing on the latest theoretical developments and empirical evidence. It remains the most comprehensive and sophisticated guide to the condition of the welfare state in a time of rapid and sometimes bewildering change. The opening chapters develop a scholarly but accessible review of competing views of the historical and contemporary roles of the welfare state. This evaluation draws upon the most recent empirical research and gives full weight to feminist, ecological and 'anti-racist' critiques. It also develops a clear account of globalization and its contested impact upon existing welfare regimes. The book constructs a distinctive history of the international growth of welfare states and offers a comprehensive account of recent developments from 'crisis' to 'structural adjustment'. The final chapters bring the story right up to date with an assessment of the important changes effected in the 1990s and the prospects for welfare states in the new millennium. This is essential reading for second- and third-year undergraduates and postgraduates in politics, social administration and public policy, sociology and economics, as well as the more general reader interested in the future of the welfare state.