This essential resource clearly explains the economic tasks of a state, including the range of services offered, social benefits, transfers, and monetary and fiscal policy. The modern state is not a sovereign ruler over people and resources, but is constrained by various obligations. These include supranational duties as well as certain democratic requirements. Nevertheless, the state must strive to maintain an adequate range of services, manage social benefits, and determine how immigrants are integrated. This essential resource helps to capture the different aspects of the topic in just a few pages.