Is the Welfare State Justified?

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The book critiques contemporary political philosophies, arguing that they mistakenly support welfare state institutions like government pensions and national health insurance. Shapiro contends that egalitarianism, positive rights theory, communitarianism, and liberalism actually align more with market-based solutions than commonly believed. By comparing welfare systems to private insurance and charities, he highlights the flaws in prevailing political thought. This work uniquely blends political philosophy with social science, examining welfare states across affluent democracies and their alternatives.