State as Provider

Abstract

Besides its function as protector of the people, the state also maintains a function as provider, at least since the early modern state (early nineteenth century). As provider, the state is responsible for the establishment of an identification infrastructure to serve as a framework for the provision of (social) services, and also to administer other aspects of daily life such as taxes, healthcare, education, employment of citizens, and others. Paul Schwartz captures the intricate connection between the service administration and its need for personal information. As Schwartz writes, “[t]he state gathers information because distribution of social services is impossible without detailed information on the citizen as client, customer, or simply person to be controlled.” Moreover, the identification infrastructure established by the state also becomes the framework used in, for example, the financial services sectors. This makes the identification infrastructure important for both the public and the private sector. This chapter provides an overview of the main components of the identification infrastructure in both the United States and the Netherlands. The main components include identification information, ‘identification’ numbers, identification documents, and instruments used for electronic identification or authentication.