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Fred Hirsch's book, The Social Limits of Growth (1977) has proved erroneously fruitful in provoking and structuring debate about the relationship between economic development and individual satisfaction in advanced democracies. In this paper, we attempt to review the approach of the book, to explain why it is so influential and to test one aspect of the argument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The question of the social bases for support of the welfare state has been a major concern of theoretical and practical arguments about the development of social policy. Some writers have argued that the (un)popularity of welfare services is strongly influenced by institutional regimes, which range from the universal to the residual type. Others have drawn attention to the lack of support for certain categories of recipients of government assistance in all types of regime. Underlying most of these arguments are the notions of the class basis for support of the welfare state, of collectivities that have an interest in defending or attacking the arrangements for social assistance and of the formation of coalitions that have had a major impact on the development of social policies. This paper assesses the significance of theories about the institutional correlates and social bases for support of the welfare state. It also examines data from a survey of opinions in a 'liberal' welfare state regime which are relevant to these debates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses consumer attitudes and participation in state welfare services. Identification of forms and sources of participation in health, education and pensions; Interest in wider information resources and regional planning; Desire for change in decision-making towards local government and the private sector. INSET: GLOSSARY.

The article examines data from an Australian survey of opinions about the welfare state which are pertinent to debates on public education and explores how citizen preferences may be viewed as egoistic or altruistic. Of those who sent their eldest child to a government school, 32% of respondents were very satisfied, 44% were fairly satisfied, and 10% were neutral. The survey also reveals that 62% of respondents feel that government schools need more well-qualified teachers, and 67% think that discipline was insufficient.