As free-market thinking has taken hold and similar reforms have proliferated, the social-welfare state is being transformed into a social-welfare society. Government spending remains large enough to guarantee reasonable public services and a social safety net.
随着自由市场思想的根深蒂固以及类似改革的遍地开花，社会福利国家也在转型成社会福利社会。政府支出保持大到足以保证公共服务和社会安全网。改革者让公共部门暴露于竞争之下，接受私人供给者的挑战，以增加其效率。