Welfare State in the European Union : Economic and Social Perspectives.
Title:
Welfare State in the European Union : Economic and Social Perspectives.
Author:
Pestieau, Pierre.
ISBN:
9780191532030
Personal Author:
Physical Description:
1 online resource (180 pages)
Contents:
CONTENTS -- PREFACE -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Questioning the welfare state -- 1.2 Definitions and objectives -- 1.3 Equity versus efficiency -- 1.4 Why the welfare state? -- 2 Poverty and inequality -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Comparing poverty -- 2.3 Comparing inequality -- 2.4 Redistributive effect of social protection -- 2.4.1 Effect on the poverty of households -- 2.4.2 Aggregate effect on poverty and inequality -- 2.4.3 Permanent inequality and poverty across European countries -- 2.5 Conclusion -- 3 Social spending -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Level and profile -- 3.3 Evolution -- 3.4 Problems of comparison -- 3.5 The entitlement problem -- 3.6 Conclusion -- 4 Revenue sources -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Financing the welfare state -- 4.3 Alternative sources -- 4.3.1 Regressive taxation -- 4.3.2 Adverse effect on competition -- 4.3.3 A shrinking tax base -- 4.4 Social insurance contributions -- 4.5 Conclusion -- 5 Types of social protection -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Taxonomy of social protection -- 5.3 Implications of alternative regimes -- 5.3.1 Redistribution -- 5.3.2 Incentives -- 5.3.3 Political support -- 5.4 Styles of welfare state -- 5.5 The active versus passive welfare state -- 5.6 Alternative approaches -- 5.7 Conclusion -- 6 Social insurance and globalization -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Benefits of globalization -- 6.3 Tax competition and race to the bottom -- 6.4 Some evidence -- 6.5 Why so little race to the bottom? -- 6.6 The open method of coordination -- 6.7 Another view -- 6.8 Conclusion -- 7 Welfare state and economic efficiency -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Individual behavior -- 7.3 A numerical example -- 7.4 Aggregate evidence -- 7.5 An historical view -- 7.6 Conclusion -- 8 Efficiency of the welfare state -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 The Matthew effect -- 8.3 Administrative costs -- 8.4 Doing better with less.
8.5 Survey of productive efficiency studies -- 8.6 Public spending efficiency -- 8.7 An aggregate view at efficiency -- 8.8 Conclusion -- 9 Social versus private insurance -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Social insurance -- 9.2.1 The state, the market and the family -- 9.2.2 The specificity of social insurance -- 9.2.3 Expenditure for insurance, private and public -- 9.3 Standard cases for social insurance -- 9.3.1 Market failures -- 9.3.2 Social insurance as a redistributive device -- 9.4 New arguments pro and con -- 9.4.1 Increasing demand and evolving labor market -- 9.4.2 Payroll taxation, fiscal competition and social dumping -- 9.4.3 Credibility and commitment -- 9.5 Implications and conclusion -- 9.6 Conclusion -- 10 Old age pensions -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 Profile of the systems -- 10.3 Financing problem -- 10.4 Early retirement -- 10.5 Difficult reforms -- 10.6 Reforming social security -- 10.7 Conclusion -- 11 Health care -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Expenditure on health care -- 11.3 Cost containment -- 11.4 Equity aspects -- 11.5 Conclusion -- 12 Unemployment and poverty -- 12.1 Introduction -- 12.2 Unemployment and employment -- 12.3 Unemployment benefits -- 12.4 Two tracks -- 12.5 The working poor in Europe -- 12.6 Conclusion -- 13 Family allowances -- 13.1 Introduction -- 13.2 Evolution and structure -- 13.3 The two effects of family allowances -- 13.4 Types of child care policies -- 13.5 Conclusion -- 14 Conclusion -- 14.1 Lionel or Tony -- 14.2 The acquired rights issue -- 14.3 Towards a European social protection -- 14.4 Wrapping up -- BIBLIOGRAPHY -- GLOSSARY -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- V -- W -- Y -- INDEX -- A -- B -- C -- D -- E -- F -- G -- H -- I -- J -- K -- L -- M -- N -- O -- P -- Q -- R -- S -- T -- U -- V -- W -- Y.
Abstract:
This book provides a balanced and rigorous account of the current functioning and performance of the welfare state in Europe. Its main feature is a basic trust in the various missions of the welfare state, particularly poverty alleviation. Accordingly, in an attempt at comparing different welfare states across the European Union, it uses the methodology of public economics to deal with the trade-off between equity and efficiency. It also offers some thoughts regarding the prospects. for success of the welfare state. - ;This book offers an account of the performance of the welfare state in the European Union, and explores its future prospects in an ever evolving setting. The objectives of the welfare state are twofold: to relieve poverty and to provide a sense of security for everyone. It can be shown that over the last four decades the welfare state has been quite successful in achieving these objectives, more visibly in the Nordic countries than in the Southern or the Anglo-Saxon ones. But today. the welfare state is at a crossroad. It is facing a variety of challenges that include demographic aging, the changing role of families, increased opportunism, economic integration and declining job security. All these challenges call for a drastic reform of the welfare state, one that requires more. control of abuses and more accountability. The authors that it is crucial that all the components of the welfare state be made as efficient as possible, and that if a choice has to be made between alleviating poverty and protecting individuals against lifetime risks, priority should be given to the first objective. This book devotes a chapter to each of the main social protection programs: health care, unemployment insurance, pensions and child policies. In addition, special consideration is. given throughout to the necessary interdependence among the
State, the market and the family. -.
Local Note:
Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2017. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.
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