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Exploring Social Justice and Welfare State Dynamics: Insights and Reform Perspectives

This paper by Wolfgang Merkel from WZB & Humboldt-University Berlin delves into four critical questions surrounding social justice and the welfare state: normative, action, empirical, and reform considerations. It examines various justice theories including libertarian, communitarian, and social-liberal viewpoints, analyzing their implications on community and individual welfare. The study also evaluates the adaptability and reform capabilities of different welfare state models across OECD countries, highlighting the importance of human capital investment and social capital in promoting social justice and economic compatibility.

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Exploring Social Justice and Welfare State Dynamics: Insights and Reform Perspectives

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  1. Wolfgang Merkel(WZB & Humboldt-University Berlin)Social Justice and the Welfare StateBratislava, March 2008Excelentná Univerzita

  2. Four Questions: 1. Normative question: which guiding concepts? 2. Action question: which prefernces? 3. Empirical question: How just are welfare states? 4. Question of reform: Which logic of reform?

  3. Friedman Hayek Libertarian Justice Communitarian Justice MacIntire Walzer Individual Community Against distribution Pro distribution Marxism Anarchism Marx Kropotkin Social-liberal Justice Rawls Sen

  4. Libertarian concept of justice • Autonomy of individual as prerogative • Limits: few, need justification • Strictly against re-distribution • „Evolutionary Morality“ of market is superior • Meritocratic principle • Consequences: equality before the law, maximal freedom of contract, minimal social security • Marginal welfare state

  5. Communitarian concept of justice • Priority of community • Imperative of cohesive communities • Social capital • Civil society instead of state • Pro re-distribution within the community • Social benefits: rather charitable, than rights • Small, homogenous communities

  6. Social-liberal concept of justice(Rawls) • Individual as reference point • In favor of distribution • Against the „scandalous lottery“ of nature • 1. Justice principle: fundamental pol. rights must be equally distributed • 2. Justice principle: difference principle • inequality: if to the benefits of the least advantaged

  7. Social democratic (?) concept of justice (Sen) • Starting point: individual • Substantial capabilities: poverty, health • Instrumental capabilities: abilities, empowerment, possibility to choose • Strong state: social investment, education, inclusion into the labour market • Life chances

  8. Hierarchy of preferences Hierarchy: • Poverty prevention • Education • Inclusion into the labour market • Compensatory social benefits • Distribution of income and wealth • Generational justice • Gender justice • No mutual exclusion of preferences; scarcity is answered by hierarchy of preferences

  9. Liberal anglo-saxon welfare state (USA, NZ, AUS (marginal) Conservative continental w. s. (FRA, BEL, GER, AUT: (christ. Dem/ conservat.) Social dem. Scandinavian w. s. (SWE, DEN, NOR (universalist model) Further models: Southern European model (mixed) Eastern European model (mixed) Welfare state models

  10. Welfare states‘ capabilities of adaption and reform • Liberal WS: Adaptability to market; de-reg.of labour market; justice (-) economy (+); low financial requirements • Conservative WS: Lowest capabilities to reform; reg. labour markets; insider-outsider-problem; social insurance principle; strong focus on pensions; ageing electorate protects passive WS; justice (+-) economy (-); high financial requirements ; demohraphic problem • Social democratic WS: High capability to reform; partly de-reg. labour markets; „welfare to work“ combined with generous social services; conditioning; investment in human capital; high taxes; high financial requirements

  11. Reform of the welfare state: learning from the North

  12. Weighted Index of Social Justice in OECD-Countries (1990-2004)

  13. Three logics of reform • Normative logic • Economic logic • Political logic

  14. Normative logic • Fairness • A priori: life chances • Life chances & meritocratic principle • No structural discrimination: women, young/old, migrants Ranking: • Scandinav. WS • Continental WS • Liberal WS

  15. Economic logic • Compatibility of economy and justice • Investment in human capital • Social capital increases productivity Ranking: 1.Scandinav. WS 2.Liberal WS 3. Continental WS (Arguments: ancillary labour costs; monetary transfers, discriminating: women, social classes, migrants)

  16. Political logic • Majorities necessary • Middle class: critical mass, therefore: • Good quality of social benefits • Easy to access • Universal services (children, education, health) Ranking: • Scandinav. WS • Continental WS • Liberal WS

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