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A theory of predatory welfare state and citizen welfare: the French case

Author

Listed:
  • Mehrdad Vahabi

    (CEPN - Centre d'Economie de l'Université Paris Nord - UP13 - Université Paris 13 - USPC - Université Sorbonne Paris Cité - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Philippe Batifoulier

    (CEPN - Centre d'Economie de l'Université Paris Nord - UP13 - Université Paris 13 - USPC - Université Sorbonne Paris Cité - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

  • Nicolas da Silva

    (CEPN - Centre d'Economie de l'Université Paris Nord - UP13 - Université Paris 13 - USPC - Université Sorbonne Paris Cité - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique)

Abstract

In this paper, we argue that the welfare state is an outcome of modern mass (total) warfare. The total war economy requires the participation of all citizens, erasing the difference between the military and citizens. Consequently, the war economy benefits from supporting the civilian population. The total war effect explains why a predatory state undertakes welfare programs. This is one of the contributions of the present paper. While welfare state is closely related to total warfare, social welfare is not. Fraternal social welfare in the United States preceded the New Deal and the rise of welfare state. Similarly, the French welfare system was born as citizen welfare and not state welfare. In fact, welfare programs were initiated in 1871 during the Paris Commune by workers under the name of la sociale, and it was established as a self-managed citizen welfare in 1945 before being displaced by government welfare programs. A second contribution of this paper is to explore the reappropriating effect or the way self-managed citizen welfare was transformed into a welfare state through a three stage process of reforms in 1946, 1967, and 1996.
(This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)

Suggested Citation

  • Mehrdad Vahabi & Philippe Batifoulier & Nicolas da Silva, 2019. "A theory of predatory welfare state and citizen welfare: the French case," Post-Print hal-02196935, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-02196935
    DOI: 10.1007/s11127-019-00660-0
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    Cited by:

    1. Mehrdad Vahabi, 2025. "Introduction: A Special Issue in Honouring Janos Kornai," Palgrave Studies in the History of Economic Thought, in: The Legacy of Janos Kornai, chapter 0, pages 31-48, Palgrave Macmillan.
    2. Klebaner, Samuel, 2024. "The régulation of the corporate welfare policy. Evidences from France," MPRA Paper 121965, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Vahabi, Mehrdad & Klebaner, Samuel, 2023. "Une nouvelle perspective sur la prédation, le conflit, le capitalisme et le changement institutionne (Une évaluation critique de l’école de régulation), entretien de Mehrdad Vahabi avec Samuel Klebane," MPRA Paper 119567, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Nicolas da Silva, 2020. "Mutualité et capitalisme entre 1789 et 1947 : de la subversion à l'intégration," Post-Print hal-03228414, HAL.
    5. Vahabi, Mehrdad, 2020. "نئولیبرالیسم و مقابله با تورم [The Neoliberalism and the Inflation Control]," MPRA Paper 102539, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Pierre-Yves Hénin & Ahmet Insel, 2021. "Hungary's U-turn in Kornai's system paradigm perspective: a case for national authoritarian capitalism," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 187(1), pages 235-245, April.
    7. Zaostrovtsev, A., 2024. "State: Predatory nature vs. civil society," Journal of the New Economic Association, New Economic Association, vol. 65(4), pages 237-244.
    8. Bálint Madlovics & Bálint Magyar, 2021. "Post-communist predation: modeling reiderstvo practices in contemporary predatory states," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 187(3), pages 247-273, June.
    9. Philippe Batifoulier & Rainer Diaz-Bone, 2022. "Perspectives on the economics and sociology of health. Contributions from the institutionalist approach of economics of convention -an introduction," Working Papers hal-03584852, HAL.
    10. Louis Olié & Léo Delpy & Jérôme Ballet, 2024. "From colonialism to international aid: Social protection in former French colonies in sub-Saharan Africa, 1890-2020," Post-Print hal-04633467, HAL.
    11. repec:hal:cepnwp:hal-03584852 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Mehrdad Vahabi, 2020. "Introduction: a symposium on the predatory state," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 182(3), pages 233-242, March.
    13. Tariq Basir & Ilia Murtazashvili & Jennifer Brick Murtazashvili, 2024. "Institutional stickiness and Afghanistan’s unending revolution," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 200(3), pages 403-422, September.

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D6 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics
    • D74 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Conflict; Conflict Resolution; Alliances; Revolutions
    • H1 - Public Economics - - Structure and Scope of Government
    • H53 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Government Expenditures and Welfare Programs
    • N4 - Economic History - - Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development

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