史坦恩(Lorenz von Stein, 1815-1890)，1841年在基爾大學獲得法學博士後，前往法國巴黎進行法制史研究，受到當時社會主義與共產主義影響，進而研究社會思想以及社會變遷，1850年出版《1789年以來法國社會運動史》奠定其學術地位。1855年起，擔任維也納大學政治經濟學教職，陸續發表國家學四大體系研究：社會理論、經濟理論、行政理論、財政理論，並以「社會改革君王制(soziales Koenigtum)」作為實踐機制，成為國家學研究的著名學者，其學術影響力甚至擴及當時的日本明治維新憲政。史坦恩的理論特點在於闡述社會與國家問的互動關係，藉由社會概念及其構成要素的分析，分析社會秩序及其變動終究難逃對立與鬥爭的矛盾，進而論述國家存在的必要與任務在於持續的社會改革。這種基於社會生活事實所建立的國家觀，承認個人自由與私有制，同時從事社會改革，積極調和社會利益，使得史坦恩的國家理念不僅不同於當時的共產主義與社會主義，也有別於自由主義，今日更被譽為德國社會國的思想先驅。

Lorenz von Stein made in 1850 the prediction concerning the future social and political development of France and of modern Europe: Democracy's transition to the new guise is already implicit in the watchword of social democracy. His prognosis is systematic, reasoned, the outcome of the theoretically apprehended historical movement of state and society, and that in terms of its structural core became a paradigm for modern Europe. No lengthy interpretation is needed to reveal just how accurately this forecast captures the reality of the modern welfare State: Justification of the state less on constitutional grounds than on the basis of active social provision by government, the way in which the substances of politics is determined by the social sphere, the promotion of welfare and a fair share in the social product as the means of securing real freedom, the progressive dissolution of traditional political structures in conjunction with the development of social structures, these are all crucial hallmarks of the welfare state as we see it around us today. Stein's theory for social development was a monarchy of social reform. Without entering into direct conflict with constitutionalism and the ruling class, it had spontaneously to utilize its superior position to work towards social reform, to rise up the lower class and lead it in the direction of social equality and the opportunity of education and ownership. The more monarchy did this, the more the dependent class would come to see it as its natural protector and helper, and the more it would become a social power. The ruling class, preserved from social revolution, would eventually recognize that its own true interest lay in the same quarter.