Social Security as a Public Interest: A Multidisciplinary Inquiry into the Foundations of the Regulatory Welfare State

Abstract

Why is social security a public interest and how does this reflect on the role of the state? This fundamental question is answered differently by various disciplines. This article gives an overview of an economic, a public administration, a legal and a philosophical viewpoint. It is observed that while social security is strongly associated with the public interest, it is never argued that it is exclusively a state affair. Private arrangements also play a role. With the emergence of the ‘regulatory welfare state’ private and public responsibilities become more intertwined. In order to monitor the success of the regulatory welfare state, it is necessary to be able to measure the extent to which new forms of governance contribute towards realising social security as a public interest. In order to do so, we need, first of all, to gain a deeper understanding of the core principles of social security. These principles should be seen as objectives which should be adhered to whatever choices have been made as to the division of responsibilities between the state and private actors. We also need to gain an understanding of the effects of various regulatory instruments and the way they interact.