Suchergebnisse

Denne artikel bidrager med en oversigt over udviklingen i offentlige udgifter siden årtusindskiftet i den danske velfærdsstat. Fokus rettes mod, om og hvorvidt der har været nedskæringer i den danske velfærdsstat, herunder om der kan ses forskel på udviklingen i indkomstoverførsler og serviceydelser. Artiklen diskuterer, hvad der forstås ved nedskæringer. Selvom der på makroniveau tilsyneladende ikke kan iagttages forandringer eller endog er flere ressourcer til rådighed, kan der på enkelte områder være færre ressourcer til rådighed. Det drøftes også, om og hvorvidt argumenter om flere/færre penge til rådighed er en del af et spil om at tiltrække flere ressourcer. Sådanne politiske spil kan bidrage til uklarhed om, hvordan velfærdsstaten faktisk udvikler sig. Endelig rettes blikket mod, hvordan ønsket om at levere nye ydelser i velfærdsstaten – eksempelvis som følge afdemografiske forandringer og ny teknologi – kan påvirke muligheden for at kunne finansiere eksisterende ydelser.

AbstractThis article informs about core aspect of the European Pillar of Social Rights as well as presenting the articles in this special issue of social rights in Europe. Overall, the articles points towards the role of the EU, while also showing continously strong variation across EU welfare states.

AbstractThis introduction discusses recent developments in the Nordic welfare states as well as an overview of the contributions to this regional issue on Nordic welfare states. The issue focuses on topics of demography, financing, solidarity, and migration. The overview points to a potential conflict between resource availability, user expectations, and norms of professionalism. Navigating this 'Bermuda triangle' will likely require constant negotiation over the developing path of the Nordic welfare states. Specific challenges include how to maintain the historical tradition of high equality of income, economic opportunity, and access to services for men and women, native and foreign‐born. Welfare states will be constantly recalibrating, to accommodate residents' demands for what they are willing to accept in terms of benefits and what they are willing to pay in terms of social contributions.

AbstractSweden and Denmark are countries with a strong tradition of the involvement of labor market partners in welfare policies, and this begs the question whether this influences the development of occupational welfare. This article depicts the reasons for, and the development of, occupational welfare, especially in relation to pensions, sickness benefit, and parental leave. The interaction between an in principle universal tax‐financed welfare state and the use of occupational welfare, often supported using fiscal welfare, implies a deviation from the Nordic model, as universality is no longer guaranteed. The article further raises the issue of whether this will increase inequality because of the dualization on the labor market, and whether Sweden and Denmark are similar or dissimilar in relation to the development in the use of, and the impact of, occupational welfare. Lastly, the article discusses the fact that occupational welfare might mitigate the consequence of retrenchment by passing on expenditures to employers. Thus, arguing that an increase in occupational welfare is due to the gradual reduction in welfare state benefits, and that trade unions' strength has influenced the level. The conclusion of the article is that what social partners thought of as a supplement has now moved the Nordic welfare states away from their universal approach.

Social investment has become a buzzword in recent years. The concept is not always precise or being used in the same way in all European countries. The central tenet of the social investment approach is to treat public expenditures not just as an economic burden, but also as an investment in the future. This is also a part of the development in the discourse. The social investment perspective is an example of how new ideas might influence social policy development. However, the use of the concept at the political level does not imply that it is also known by stakeholders. The article explains the dichotomy between the use of a concept on an overarching political and academic level with a practical understanding among actors without using the concept. The article concludes that social investment can be used in the field and that actors have an understanding hereof.

AbstractWelfare states in many countries have, at least since the financial crisis, been under strong pressure from high levels of unemployment. We are expecting dramatic changes to labour markets. This article first presents the various arguments as to why there have or have not been substantial changes to labour markets, and whether there might be in the future, including arguments pro and con the possible impact thereof. The article thus provides a review of knowledge within the field, with a focus especially on how this can or might have an impact on welfare states, given the often strong connection between being on the labour market, access to a variety of welfare benefits and the ability to finance welfare states. It uses concepts such as under‐employment and new forms of jobs as indicators of change. These changes implying, more than ever, that having a job does not necessarily entail that a person has a stable and solid income above the poverty level. Lastly, the article discusses whether some welfare states regime types are more prepared than others.