ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Speculations now abound on the influence of globalisation and of information technology on the future of the welfare state. By comparison, the classical functions of the state are given much less attention. Even the ‘minimal state’ should afford protection against ennemies and provide public safety and justice. With information technology approaching maturity and global information technology infrastructures taking shape, it is an open question to which extent the nation-state or its subsidiaries will continue to deliver in this respect.
