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The current economic crisis has presented itself as a formidable challenge to the welfare states of Europe. The issue of minimum income protection has now become more important than ever and whether or note these schemes adequately protect citizens when they are unemployed, retired or having children. Drawing on in-depth and up-to-date institutional data from across Europe and the US, this volume details the reality of minimum income protection policies over time. Including contributions from leading scholars in the field, each chapter provides a systematic cross-national analysis of minimum income protection policies, developing concrete policy guidance on an issue at the heart of the European debate.

A New Dawn for Minimum Income Protection?-- I.Marx & K.Nelson Struggle for Life: Social Assistance Benefits, 1992-2009-- N.Van Mechelen & S.Marchal Mind the Gap: Net Incomes of Minimum Wage Workers in the EU and the US-- I.Marx, S.Marchal & B.Nolan Child Poverty as a Government Priority: Child Benefit Packages for Working Families, 1992-2009-- N.Van Mechelen & J.Bradshaw Minimum Income Protection for Europe's Elderly. What and How Much has been Guaranteed During the 2000s?-- T.Goedeme From Universalism to Selectivity: Old Wine in New Bottles for Child Benefits in Europe and Other Countries-- T.Ferrarini, K.Nelson & H.Hoog Categorical Differentiation in the Light of Deservingness Perceptions: Institutional Structures of Minimum Income Protection for Immigrants and for the Disabled-- V.Hubl & M.Pfeifer Origin and Genesis of Activation Policies in 'Old' Europe: Toward a Balanced Approach?-- J.T.Weishaupt Social Assistance Governance in Europe. Towards a Multi-level Perspective-- Y.Kazepov & E.Barberis Minimum Social Protection in the CEE/CIS Countries. The Failure of a Model-- J.Bradshaw, E.Mayhew & G.Alexander The EU and Minimum Income Protection: Clarifying the Policy Conundrum-- F.Vandenbroucke, B.Cantillon, N.Van Mechelen, T.Goedeme & A.Van Lancker

This groundbreaking book brings together perspectives from political philosophy and comparative social policy to discuss generational justice. Contributing new insights about the preconditions for designing sustainable, inclusive policies for all of society, the authors expose the possibilities of supporting egalitarian principles in an aging society through balanced generational welfare contracts.

This groundbreaking book brings together perspectives from political philosophy and comparative social policy to discuss generational justice. Contributing new insights about the preconditions for designing sustainable, inclusive policies for all of society, the authors expose the possibilities of supporting egalitarian principles in an ageing society through balanced generational welfare contracts. Welfare states are largely structured around social risks that appear in distinct phases of human life, including childhood, working age and old age. By empirically analysing the causes and consequences of social policy in a large number of countries, the authors show that balanced generational welfare contracts - in which age-related social protection is more evenly distributed across different stages of life - is to the advantage of all age groups, therefore contributing to social justice and welfare state sustainability. The authors offer a combination of descriptive data analysis and statistical regressions to provide robust evidence that countries can avoid generational trade-offs in policymaking and find positive-sum solutions. Appealing to academics, researchers and students of politics and social policy, The Generational Welfare Contract gives expert insight into the possibilities for success in future welfare states