Government Provision of Services: Health Care and Education

There are several recurrent themes throughout the history of economic thought. One of them, and one which has moved very much into the limelight in recent years, is whether goods and services are best provided through the free market or whether there is a need for government intervention, perhaps in the form of state provision. It is this fundamental issue that this chapter will investigate, using as case studies the government provision of health care and education. These appear to be particularly apt examples in light of recent discussion over the appropriate way in which to provide and to fund these services and the significant government reforms that are taking place.