The evolution of the welfare state in Europe can be seen as a major experiment in social organization. In this book a number of economists and sociologists set out the lessons that can be learned from the welfare state experiment, as evidenced by the Swedish case. The authors look at the welfare state from the perspective of distribution and redistribution and present a diverse and complex picture of its equality-generating capacities. This illuminating study will be of special value to sociologists, economists, and political scientists.