The last decade has seen welfare systems throughout the Westernworld challenged as governments launched major efforts to stabilize orreduce government social expenditures and to return a larger share ofthe responsibility for social welfare services to private hands. Thisfiscal crisis and its accompanying theme of retrenchment coincided withthe emergence of neoconservatism that has led to polarized debate and asignificant change in attitude and policy regarding the role andfunction of government in society.
Public Funds, Private Provision analyzes the respectiveroles of government and the voluntary sector in the financing andadministration of social services. Focusing on development in BritishColumbia from 1983 to 1991, when the Social Credit government activelypursued a policy of privatization, this book examines the growth of thevoluntary sector there and presents data which track the impact ofprivatization on services. It examines the issues of funding andaccountability of the voluntary sector as it adopts the public agentrole and increasingly delivers services on behalf of government.
In its discussion of the new partnership between government and thevoluntary sector, this thought-provoking book raises important issuesabout government privatization policies and about the possible effectsthese policies will have on the future of the welfare state in Westernsociety.