This book provides an overview of the central concepts in the light of a state, market and civil society lenses. It also provides the reader with knowledge on distribution in societies and how this interacts and influences different groups and their position in society.

Bent Greve is Professor of Welfare State Analysis in the Department of Society and Business at Roskilde University, Denmark. He has published widely on different topics surrounding the welfare state, including technology and the labour market, happiness and social policy, labour market policy, and most recently on populism and the welfare state. He is editor of Social Policy and Administration.

Part 1: Central Concepts 1. Introduction 2. What Is Welfare? Some Basic Concepts 3. Welfare States and Welfare Regimes Part 2: State, Market and Civil Society 4. The State 5. Financing the Public Sector 6. The Role of the Market 7. The Labour Market: Employment and Unemployment 8. Civil Society Part 3: Equality and Specific Groups Position in the Welfare States 9. Poverty, Equality and Inequality 10. Different Groups' Position in Welfare States Part 4: Core Social Policy Areas 11. Health Care 12. Long-Term Care 13. Pensions - Important in Old Age Part 5: New Ways and International Perspectives 14. New Ways of Steering the Welfare State 15. The Role of the EU and Other International Organizations in the Development of Welfare States 16. Is There a Future for the Welfare State?