THE WELFARE-STATE, CITIZENS, AND IMMERSED CIVIL-SERVANTS

Working from an Aristotelian perspective, the author argues that the w elfare state, although able to meet social needs, cannot be very effec tive in solving complex social problems. The latter requires sensitivi ties to particular people in particular situations, which can only be acquired commonlly. This is the level at which citizens, in their purs uit of self-government, count as much as or more than public policies and agencies. However, citizens, on their own, may often lack the skil ls and wherewithal to tackle difficult social dilemmas. The article su ggests experimenting with a strategy of immersing public administrator s in communities to lend a noncoercive hand to citizen problem solvers .