ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at the rise of the global state paradigm, under conditions of neoliberalism, and utilizes this as a framework to explore the challenge and dilemmas facing critical social work. The rise of the global state can be traced back to the crucible of political turmoil following the 1973 oil crisis, which signalled the beginning of the end for the post-war welfare consensus. The welfare consensus had been built on principles of equity, universalism and redistribution which would, it was hoped, promote social solidarity. In the United States welfare is associated with dependency and plays a more residual role in Federal state spending on social security, against a backdrop of growing social inequality and racial divisions. The social democratic welfare states in the Nordic countries have extensive welfare benefits and services which are financed by high levels of taxation and social insurance contributions. Social work’s professional culture promotes humanitarian values of social betterment, solidarity and the ‘good society’.
