The Political Economy of Social-Corporate Welfare States

Abstract

Welfare states do not evolve and develop in the same way and they do not take the same shape. This is true when we consider social welfare, but it is even truer when we consider corporate welfare. The relative balance between corporate and social welfare provision and the extent to which they operate in harmony or conflict with each other depends on a number of local and international economic and political factors. The needs of businesses and the needs of citizens are important here, where states play a key role in need satisfaction (or not). This chapter aims to make sense of the development and function of different aspects of welfare. It does so by reviewing some of the key theories of welfare-state development, relating them to corporate, as well as social, welfare. It then examines in more detail how welfare provision responds to, and helps to fulfil, the various needs of individuals and corporations. It begins with a review and discussion of the concept of need and how, before outlining, in detail, the various need ‘satisfiers’ and the role of the state in this.