ABSTRACT
The welfare state, in all developed societies at least, plays a key role in people’s everyday lives. At the same time, the welfare state is contested and there are constant discussions on how and to what degree the state should intervene, infl uence and have an impact on the development of society, including on the market and civil society. Many questions arise: should there be a stronger or a leaner welfare state, or a larger role for families, the voluntary sector or the market? Such issues have been discussed for many years, as have subjects concerning the welfare state in crisis. Different measures have been used, such as direct cutbacks in the form of retrenchment, more marginal changes or just gradual changes. At the same time, for centuries the sovereign and the state have played a role and the boundaries between state, market and civil society have been analysed, debated and discussed from many and varied perspectives.
