This is the second edition of a well-established study of perhaps the most controversial and contested concept in the social sciences. The book traces the historical origins of welfare to eighteenth-century sources in moral and social philosophy and shows how, in the evolution of the concept, doctrines of welfare have been associated with a variety of social philosophies, including utilitarianism, rights, individualism and collectivism. The result is a well-rounded text for students of politics, sociology and social policy, and an essential reference for researchers as well as those with a wider interest in the welfare state.