Description The post-communist market economy euphoria marginalized the social dimension of the state despite the fact that citizens continued to see the state as a main provider of social services. The legacy of the paternalist relationship with the state and the feeling of entitlement towards free services such as education, health care, child care, etc., were especially present in postcommunist Albania throughout the transition period. While liberal democracy and market economy were seen as the main pillars of the organization of the state after communism, citizens’ mindset towards the state, public institutions, and social services did not changed as rapidly as the economic system did through the application of the shock therapy at the beginning of the 90s.