Actors in the Distribution of Welfare: Politics, Economy, and Culture

Abstract

This paper focuses on both the classic and recent debates concerning the welfare state. The goal is to determine the actors in the emergence of modern welfare states. I claim social and cultural elements in the social provision of welfare is relevant as a distinct category, and identify waqf as a religio-cultural institution and zakat as a religio-cultural practice that played and still plays influential role in the distribution of welfare in the case of Turkey. I suggest, if a welfare regime description of Turkey would be made, waqf and zakat are indispensable and must be analyzed.