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Little noticed by much of the world, France, during the 1960s and 1970s developed into one of the most generous welfare states in the world. This book describes and explains this spectacular growth and examines in detail some of the problems that have emerged in its wake. Translating an old commitment to "solidarity" into a body of social policies when rescued the elderly from poverty, drew virtually the entire population beneath the tent of health and old-age insurance, dramatically expanded opportunities for education and increased aid to the handicapped and to single mothers, the French variant of the welfare state is remarkable in that it originated under conservative administration. The essays in this volume, explore the origins, characteristics and successes and failures of France's welfare policy. They examine French policies towards unemployment, pensions, health, housing and family issues to provide a comprehensive picture of this extraordinary social net. The contributors include Douglas Ashford, David Cameron, Bruno Jobert, Remi Lemoir, Nathan H. Schwartz and David Wilsford.