ABSTRACT
The report's explanation for the co-existence of macro-economic prosperity and individual misery is growing inequality and 'meaningless' work. The performance of the US and the UK might look desirable in economic terms. But analysts should judge a society by its overall condition. Governments' power and even their will to control firms seem severely restricted by the economic globalization. The governments might have been busy meeting the pressing problems, but they could have posed the core question as to what balance the people wished between growth and redistribution both in the 1980s and 1990s. Given the importance of the question, governments have not been successful in alerting their peoples to the comprehensive nature and scale of the Welfare State issues. Whether the cooperative relationship is satisfactory or not can probably be observed by the people's reactions toward others. Although a new law was enacted, the anxiety of people at the prospect of a serious natural disaster is not completely eased.
