Economic theory of the state: a new paradigm of paternalism

A new approach to the construction of the economic theory of a modern state is presented, the historical and political analysis made to trace the evolution of the place and role of the state in a market economy, to distinguish a number of its main models and formulate a fundamental position on the transformation of a modern state from the subject of the market space into its organizer - Model of the "state - playmaker." The proposed approach is based on the theory of guarded goods and the general concept of failures of a mixed economy, which allowed to look at the category of state paternalism from new positions and identify the risks of its negative consequences. It is shown that, unlike market failures that cause state activity, a paternalistic failure requires other actions aimed at democratizing the formation of the relevant attitudes and the introduction of procedures that limit the arbitrariness of the bureaucracy. The applied aspects of the theory put forward in relation to the humanitarian sector of the economy are considered.