New roles for the state

Because citizens want numerous services from the governments of nation-stat es, the role of the state will change rather than diminish in the decades i mmediately ahead. Governments will seek ways to perform traditional roles m ore effectively, including regulating the private sector, setting policies to encourage economic growth and equity, providing a minimum standard of li ving for the most needy, assuring national defence and domestic law enforce ment, and shaping social values. Some governments, especially those with hi gh levels of human and financial resources, are likely to perform these tas ks far more effectively than others, but governments that are less fortunat e can learn from the policy experiences of the more successful. Governments will also came into new relationships with civil society and wi th the private sector. As former public enterprises are privatised, their a ctivities need to be carefully monitored, especially when multinational com panies have acquired formerly national assets. Particularly important are l aws and programmes that maximise human capital through education and throug h public-private partnerships that create better jobs and job training. Tax breaks for philanthropy toward both public and private universities are a case in point, but this works only where corruption is minimised and evasio n is low.