Resilient Welfare States in the European Union

The European welfare systems have been under attack since the late 1970s, but the 2008 financial crash and the Covid-19 pandemic have proved that they are a fundamental asset in hard times. Anton Hemerijck and Robin Huguenot-Noël examine the nature of European welfare provision and the untruths that surround it and consider the impact of austerity measures and the future design of the system to better equip European societies to face social change.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 184 pages
Publication date: 28 April 2022
Publisher: Agenda Publishing

The European welfare systems, established after the Second World War, have faced sustained attacks since the late 1970s due to the neoliberal drive towards a small state and the market as the primary tool for allocating scarce resources. Following the 2008 financial crash, Europe's high-tax and generous benefits welfare states were once again blamed for economic stagnation and political immobilism. However, the long decade of the Great Recession proved that the welfare state remained a fundamental asset in times of crisis, stabilizing the economy, protecting households and individuals from poverty, reconciling gendered work and family life, and improving the skills and competences needed in Europe's knowledge economy and aging society.

Moreover, the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic has brought back into the limelight the productive role of welfare systems in guaranteeing basic security, human capabilities, economic opportunities, and democratic freedoms. In this critical contribution, Anton Hemerijck and Robin Huguenot-Noël examine the nature of European welfare provision and the misconceptions surrounding it. They evaluate the impact of the austerity measures that followed the Great Recession and consider the future design of European welfare systems to better equip societies to face social change, from global competition to accelerated demographic aging, the digitalization of work, and climate change.

The authors argue that European welfare systems have evolved significantly since the post-war period, with a shift towards more comprehensive and universal coverage. However, they also note that these systems have faced significant challenges in recent years, including rising inequality, demographic changes, and the impact of globalization. The authors argue that the future of European welfare systems should focus on promoting social inclusion, economic stability, and sustainability.

To achieve this, the authors suggest a number of policy recommendations, including increasing investment in education and training, promoting job creation and employment, and implementing policies to address income inequality and poverty. The authors also emphasize the importance of social protection, including healthcare, pensions, and social assistance, to ensure that all individuals have access to basic needs and can live with dignity.

In conclusion, Hemerijck and Huguenot-Noël's contribution provides a valuable analysis of the nature of European welfare provision and the challenges facing it in the 21st century. The authors argue that the welfare state remains a fundamental asset in times of crisis and should be strengthened to promote social inclusion, economic stability, and sustainability. By implementing policy recommendations that focus on education, training, job creation, income inequality, and social protection, European welfare systems can better equip societies to face the challenges of the 21st century.

Weight: 292g
Dimension: 156 x 233 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781788214865