The main difference between the progressive vision of a society underpinned by these “citizen accounts” and the conservative idea that individual citizens should create personal retirement accounts, take out student loans, or cover their own health insurance is the public sector’s role. Not only would the public sector take primary responsibility for financing social protection; public policy would also frame cooperation among government, employers, and recipients to eliminate duplication and bolster effectiveness and fairness.
以这些“公民账户”（citizen accounts）为基础的社会的进步愿景与个体公民应该自己构建个人退休金账户、自己承担学生贷款、自己解决健康保险的保守观念之间的主要区别是公共部门的角色。不但公共部门要承担社会保护融资的主要责任；公共政策也必须规范政府、雇主和公民之间的合作，以避免叠床架屋并增进效率和公平。