1. Public policy and European society University of Castellanza
Session #1
A European Social Model?
11 November 2009

2. Outline Welfare state as defining Europe
Social cohesion and social inclusion
Elements of the European Social Model
Social citizenship
Restrained egalitarianism
Backbone state
Economic citizenship
The EU and the ESM

3. A European Good Thing?
Europe has built a distinctive economic and social model that has combined productivity, social cohesion and a growing commitment to environmental sustainability. (Kok, 2004: 7)
Preserving our European social model - our specific combination of market economy, welfare state and democracy - requires action not only at the European level but also at the global level. (Lamy, 2004:18)

4. Inclusion & Cohesion Vertical axis is about (in)equality ANOMIE
Horizontal axis is about trust and ‘social capital’
ÈXCLUSION

5. Inclusion & Cohesion INCLUSION ANOMIE COHESION ÈXCLUSION
Millenarian egalitarianism (Bolshevism…Pol Pot…Taliban
Cyber populism
ANOMIE
COHESION
Claudillo dictatorships; China?
ÈXCLUSION
Fascism

6. Inclusion & Cohesion UK USA INCLUSION ANOMIE COHESION ÈXCLUSION
Millenarian egalitarianism (Bolshevism…Pol Pot…Taliban
Cyber populism
European Social Model
Settler demo-cracies
Scandinavian social democracies
ANOMIE UK
COHESION
Continental corporatism
Representative democracies
USA
Medi-terranean familism
Claudillo dictatorships; China?
ÈXCLUSION
Fascism

7. Social citizenship Education, health, housing, income support…
Rights not charity
Baseline for participation in society
Financial costs (taxation)
Rights means obligations
Restrictions on diversity (‘thick citizenship’)

8. Egalitarian Europe (1) Income distribution
No European country has such a large proportion of its population with less than 50% of median income
The US has a larger proportion of its population with more than double the median income, but here Sweden is the outlier

9. Egalitarian Europe (2) Attitudes to inequality
Swe
Ger
Aus NZ
Can
USA
‘It is the responsibility of the government to reduce the differences between people with high incomes and those with low incomes’ (% agreeing)
53.7
65.5
42.6
53.1
47.9
38.3
Legitimate income difference between ‘unskilled factory worker’ (income=100) and ‘Chairman of a large national company’
239
711
480
419
512
1,114

10. Backbone state Public realm
NOT market, NOT personal
Importance of state service (Beamte, service public, civil servant)
‘This social capability is supported by a conception of the public realm whose underwriting of public science, public transport, public art, public networks, public health, public broadcasting, public knowledge and the wider public interest gives European civilization its unique character while offering many of its enterprises competitive advantage.’ (Hutton, 2002: ).

11. Economic Citizenship Labour market regulation Health and safety
Employment protection
Working time
Health and safety
Rights to information
Rights to representation
Trade union membership
Trade union coverage
Workplace representation (Betriebsrat, European Works Council)
Anti-discrimination
Equal pay (including pensions, benefits)
Equal opportunities (recruitment, promotion)
Work-life balance
Parental leave
Right to flexible working

12. Emergence of social Europe
1956 Treaty of Rome
Retraining for those effected by industrial change
1974 Social Action Programme
Response to enlargement; 1960s militancy
Employee rights, equal opportunities
Maastricht Treaty 1991
Social Charter of Fundamental Rights of Workers
1990s Delors promoting ‘European Social Model’
‘A market economy, not a market society’ (Jospin)
Social expenditure to contribute to competitiveness
In parallel to single market programme
2000 Lisbon Declaration
The Union has today set itself a new strategic goal for the next decade: to become the most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy in the world, capable of sustainable economic growth with more and better jobs and greater social cohesion
An employment-based social policy
Intervogernmentalism (‘Open Method of Co-ordination’) and ‘Soft law’
So second thoughts?

13. The EU and the ESM Positive integration: Negative integration
Floor of social and economic rights
But limited, core remains national
Negative integration
Removal national barriers to competition
Destroying public services?