Lectures
Key Challenges to the Welfare State
Iris Groenhuijzen - 2022
1
,Inhoudsopgave
Lecture 1 – Introduction................................................................................................................................. 3
Lecture 2 – Post-industrialisation................................................................................................................... 8
Lecture 3 – Gender....................................................................................................................................... 13
Lecture 4 – Ageing........................................................................................................................................ 20
Lecture 5 – Migration................................................................................................................................... 23
Lecture 6 – Individualisation........................................................................................................................ 30
Lecture 7 – Conclusion................................................................................................................................. 36
2
,Lecture 1 – Introduction
What is a welfare state?
It is one of the most powerful institutions of the 20 th century and beyond.
Definitions:
- Van Doorn (1978): “the welfare state embodies the formulation of a social guarantee:
society, organised as a nation state, guarantees all citizens a reasonable standard of living.”
- Willensky (1975): “the essence of the welfare state is government protected minimum
standards of income, nutrition, health, housing, and education assured to every citizen as a
political right, not as charity.”
- Thoenes ((1962): “the welfare state is a society type, which is characterised by a democratic
system of government care, which guarantees the collective social welfare of its subjects,
while the capitalist production system remains largely unaltered.”
Thoenes’ definition:
- Only in democracies? If so, why?
o In democratic societies poor people can vote, so they vote for those parties who
favoured a construction of a welfare state.
o Democracy not only means that poor people have political rights, but also that there
is a lot of equality (also in style of living). In democracies there cannot be big
differences -> welfare state.
- Is government the only provider of welfare state services?
o In many countries non-state actors also provide welfare state services and benefits.
For example: in Scandinavian countries you get benefit from the labour union if you
get unemployed. Are that welfare schemes too?
o Welfare state schemes: if they are highly regulated by government legislation and if
most of the scheme is financed via government taxes.
- Collective? Who is part of the collective?
- Only in capitalist countries? If so, why?
o Relation capitalism and welfare state: most welfare states exist within democratic
capitalist countries. Capitalism produces inequalities (unacceptable for the poor
people). The welfare state is there to correct these inequalities.
3
, So, the welfare state covers five fields:
1. Social security:
a. Unemployment, sickness, and disability benefits.
b. Pensions.
c. Maternity and paternal leave.
d. Social assistance.
e. Etc.
2. Health care:
a. Collective health insurance.
b. Funding of hospitals, rehabilitation centres.
c. Etc.
3. Education:
a. Funding of schools, universities.
b. Student grants.
c. Compulsory education laws.
d. Etc.
4. Social housing:
a. Funding of/ subsidies for affordable homes.
b. Property regulations.
c. Etc.
5. Social welfare:
a. Elderly people’s homes.
b. Community centres.
c. Debt assistance.
d. Shelters for homeless people.
e. Etc.
The origins of the welfare state
This course is about the interrelationship between the welfare state and social change.
- The high political choices concerning the welfare state are fundamental processes of social
change.
- Then: end of 19th and begin 20th century: fundamental processes of social change were at the
foundation of the welfare state.
4
Key Challenges to the Welfare State
Iris Groenhuijzen - 2022
1
,Inhoudsopgave
Lecture 1 – Introduction................................................................................................................................. 3
Lecture 2 – Post-industrialisation................................................................................................................... 8
Lecture 3 – Gender....................................................................................................................................... 13
Lecture 4 – Ageing........................................................................................................................................ 20
Lecture 5 – Migration................................................................................................................................... 23
Lecture 6 – Individualisation........................................................................................................................ 30
Lecture 7 – Conclusion................................................................................................................................. 36
2
,Lecture 1 – Introduction
What is a welfare state?
It is one of the most powerful institutions of the 20 th century and beyond.
Definitions:
- Van Doorn (1978): “the welfare state embodies the formulation of a social guarantee:
society, organised as a nation state, guarantees all citizens a reasonable standard of living.”
- Willensky (1975): “the essence of the welfare state is government protected minimum
standards of income, nutrition, health, housing, and education assured to every citizen as a
political right, not as charity.”
- Thoenes ((1962): “the welfare state is a society type, which is characterised by a democratic
system of government care, which guarantees the collective social welfare of its subjects,
while the capitalist production system remains largely unaltered.”
Thoenes’ definition:
- Only in democracies? If so, why?
o In democratic societies poor people can vote, so they vote for those parties who
favoured a construction of a welfare state.
o Democracy not only means that poor people have political rights, but also that there
is a lot of equality (also in style of living). In democracies there cannot be big
differences -> welfare state.
- Is government the only provider of welfare state services?
o In many countries non-state actors also provide welfare state services and benefits.
For example: in Scandinavian countries you get benefit from the labour union if you
get unemployed. Are that welfare schemes too?
o Welfare state schemes: if they are highly regulated by government legislation and if
most of the scheme is financed via government taxes.
- Collective? Who is part of the collective?
- Only in capitalist countries? If so, why?
o Relation capitalism and welfare state: most welfare states exist within democratic
capitalist countries. Capitalism produces inequalities (unacceptable for the poor
people). The welfare state is there to correct these inequalities.
3
, So, the welfare state covers five fields:
1. Social security:
a. Unemployment, sickness, and disability benefits.
b. Pensions.
c. Maternity and paternal leave.
d. Social assistance.
e. Etc.
2. Health care:
a. Collective health insurance.
b. Funding of hospitals, rehabilitation centres.
c. Etc.
3. Education:
a. Funding of schools, universities.
b. Student grants.
c. Compulsory education laws.
d. Etc.
4. Social housing:
a. Funding of/ subsidies for affordable homes.
b. Property regulations.
c. Etc.
5. Social welfare:
a. Elderly people’s homes.
b. Community centres.
c. Debt assistance.
d. Shelters for homeless people.
e. Etc.
The origins of the welfare state
This course is about the interrelationship between the welfare state and social change.
- The high political choices concerning the welfare state are fundamental processes of social
change.
- Then: end of 19th and begin 20th century: fundamental processes of social change were at the
foundation of the welfare state.
4
