Table of Contents

1. Speculation and discipline; 2. The universal welfare state and the question of individual autonomy; 3. Is governance possible?; 4. What can the state do? An analytical model; 5. Just institutions matter; 6. The political and moral logic of the universal welfare state; 7. Putting history in order; 8. The autonomous citizen and the future of the universal welfare policy; 9. Toward a constructive theory of public policy; Bibliography; Index.

Reviews

'Just Institutions Matter should be a frequently cited work among those interested in comparative politics and policy and the general issue of policy evaluation. Rothstein is eloquent in his argument for universalistic principles to guide social welfare policy, and he is very creative and analytically agile in providing a language and framework for connecting values and policy.' American Polticial Science Review 'Overall, the book makes the best case for universal social policy I have seen; it is also an insightful analysis of the politics of universal welfare states ... this is an excellent book and can be highly recommended to scholars of social welfare policy, Scandinavia, and comparative politics. It is appropriate for advanced courses in the areas of social theory, public policy, and European and comparative politics.' American Journal of Sociology