First published in 1975, Social Service Budgets and Social Policy compares the attempts by British and US federal governments to plan and control social service expenditure. It concentrates on education, health and social security spending and begins by discussing the contrasting theories of how resource allocation does and ought to work. Then, having compared the broad economic, political and policy contexts within which social planners in the two countries have to work, it scrutinises in particular their attempts at forward planning, output budgeting and programme evaluation. It argues for more explicit and informed decisions about priorities, but as part of an open political process. This book will be of interest to students of economics, sociology and social policy.