Policy Forum 

# The Economics and Ethics of the Welfare State 

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[Download a Podcast of the Event (MP3)](https://cdn.cato.org/archive-2007/cpfa-04-10-07.mp3) 

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Date and Time 

April 10, 2007 12 - 1:30 PM EDT 

Location 

Auditorium/Wintergarden 

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##### Featuring 

Featuring **Leszek Balcerowicz,** Former President of the National Bank of Poland and Former Minister of Finance, Poland. 

Welfare states in rich and poor countries should be judged by their results, not their intentions. Leszek Balcerowicz will review the experiences of countries around the world and explain what he believes to be the economic and moral failings of welfare states. In developing countries, for example, there are huge gaps between ideology and practice; large welfare states in rich countries have crowded out non state social assistance and contributed to various types of inequality including high unemployment among the young. Please join us to hear reform proposals from Poland’s main architect of its transition to the market.

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