Contemporary Social Policy in the E.U. Professor John Wilton Lecture 3 Four types of European Welfare States: Conservative – corporatist, Social Democratic, Anglo-Saxon, and the Mediterranean model Contemporary Social Policy in the E.U. Lecture 3 Types of European Welfare States: •Conservative-corporatist, i.e. Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, France, Belgium •Social Democratic, i.e. Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands •Anglo-Saxon, i.e, United Kingdom, Ireland •Mediterranean; i.e. Greece, Portugal, Spain, Italy Contemporary Social Policy in the E.U. Lecture 3 Categorised into types according to: a)relative importance assigned to central welfare producers – state, market, family; b)differing requirements for access to welfare services and payments; c)level of support through social policy and welfare provision; d)degree to which able to maintain social status of clients; e)degree to which clients are pressured to join labour force Contemporary Social Policy in the E.U. Lecture 3 1. Conservative-corporatist - tradition of strong state managing and incorporating social groups - relatively little emphasis on redistribution as a goal of social policy - organisation of welfare and social policy provision are pluralistic; i.e. non-state and para-state organisations predominate in administration and distribution of services - reflect the influence of Catholic social teaching, particularly the principle of subsidiarity Contemporary Social Policy in the E.U. Lecture 3 2. Social Democratic Welfare States - promotes minimum needs, and equal and high standards of welfare for all citizens - work and welfare closely connected - welfare system dependent on having as high a proportion as possible of adult population in employment - Swedish approach based on 4 pillars: a) social and welfare tradition b) high personal taxation and low corporate taxation c) cautious and competent state management d) employer/union cooperation Contemporary Social Policy in the E.U. Lecture 3 3. Anglo-Saxon Welfare States - UK system founded on ‘Beveridge model’ = wide range of contributory benefits, National Health Service (since 1948) provided a tax-financed universalist service, unique sector of public sector owned (council) housing - poverty and social exclusion grown rapidly since 1980s; proportion of population living in households below 50% of average income = 10% 1979, 25% 1997 Contemporary Social Policy in the E.U. Lecture 3 -children living in households with no working adult: 20% in 2000, 28% in 2008 (1.9 million children) ‘Income inequality in the U.K. is now at its highest level since comparable statistics began in 1961’ (‘State of the Nation Report, 2010’, page 6 www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/media/410872/web-poverty-report.pdf) - movement from Beveridge principles to more liberal welfare system, and introduction of principles of ‘internal market’/privatisation, resulting in greater social exclusion Contemporary Social Policy in the E.U. Lecture 3 4. Mediterranean Welfare States - characteristics a) high fragmentation and inconsistency of provision – imbalances in social protection; b) the role of the family as important institution; c) relatively low degree of state activity – led to ‘public/private’ collusion and massive waste and inefficiency; d) a ‘clientelistic culture’ – political corruption, ‘political clientelism’ and vote trading e) relatively weak state apparatus – weak state institutions, bureaucracy, and ‘political class’ Contemporary Social Policy in the E.U. Lecture 3 f) strong role and influence of Catholic church; g) generous pension provision (until recent Eurozone crisis and global financial crisis) h) ‘demographic time bomb’ – imbalance between numbers of elderly people and those of working age