Suchergebnisse

Intro -- Foreword -- Preface and Acknowledgements -- Contents -- About the Author -- Chapter 1: The Perspective -- Why a Welfare State and Common Security Vision? -- The One World -- The Advaita (Indivisibility) -- Welfare State -- A State-Centric System -- Basic Features -- A Steeply Progressive Income Tax -- Public Sector Dominance -- Social Integration -- Why a Welfare State System? -- A Conflict Preventing Mechanism -- Full-Employment Policy -- A System of Distributive Justice -- A Higher Form of Social System -- Globalisation and Its Impact -- A Global Vision -- Spread of Welfare State System -- Europe Pointed the Way -- In Scandinavia -- In France -- In Germany -- In Britain -- The US New Deal: Across the Atlantic -- Canada -- In Asia -- India -- Provisions in the Constitution -- The Follow-Up -- People's Republic of China -- Iron Rice Bowl System -- The Dualism in China -- A Widespread Phenomenon -- Welfare States and Economic Crisis -- The Best System -- Employment Question -- National Framework -- Challenges Before Welfare States -- Globalisation -- Supranational Regional Structures -- Demographic Change -- Chapter 2: Swedish Welfare State Model -- Folkhemmet -- The Programme -- The Great Depression and After -- SDP Governments' Social Policy -- Insurance Schemes -- Social Services -- Social Security System -- Medical Care -- Employment Policy -- Provider and Regulator -- Female Employment -- Progressive Income-Tax Rate -- Elderly Care -- Child Care -- Best Model for Emulation -- Cradle-to-the-Grave Welfare State System -- National Social Insurance Board -- Full-Employment Policy -- Egalitarian Income Distribution -- Housing -- The Preventive Social Policy -- Effects of Full Employment -- Distributive Justice -- Equality -- Social and Economic Equality -- Employee Investment Funds -- Reform Method -- The Most Advanced Welfare State.

This book argues that the welfare state system should be adopted globally, not only for the purpose of achieving equality and justice within nations, but also for security between states. Using Finland, Sweden and Canada as case studies, it theorises that the welfare state system and the common security system, which are mutually reinforcing peace structures, should be utilised worldwide as the best method of attaining peace and prosperity. It demonstrates the feasibility of the welfare state in the past, whilst also showing how these historical experiences can be translated into socio-political action to address contemporary global challenges. Operating in the fields of political theory, international relations, and social philosophy, it will appeal to scholars and students of public policy, the welfare state, and sociology, as well as state policymakers. B. Vivekanandan is former Professor and Chairman of the Centre for American and West European Studies at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. He has been Visiting Professor at Carleton University and the University of Helsinki, and a Visiting Fellow at the University of Konstanz, Germany.

This book analyses the global visions of Olof Palme, Bruno Kreisky and Willy Brandt, European social democratic statesmen who earned international esteem for their contributions to global developments during the second half of the twentieth century. Their visions encompassed, inter alia, international peace and security, East-West and North- South Cooperation, and other important domains pertinent to developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America. In this volume, the author closely examines the advancements Palme, Kreisky and Brandt made and demonstrates how their visions remain valid for shaping the future of mankind

Finland has an advanced welfare state system, which extends social protection for everyone in the country. The system is anchored in a full-employment policy, a steeply progressive taxation system, and a strong, benevolent and resourceful state, endowed with the authority to regulate the economic and social life of people. This system has been established through the institutionalization of various social insurance schemes and schemes for pensions, health care, childcare, free and compulsory education, etc. In the 1990s, the Finnish state experienced an economic crisis, borne out of flawed economic reforms like the deregulation of the financial market and other changes that aimed at hastening Finland's European Union (EU) membership. The crisis forced the government to tighten the preconditions for availing of welfare benefits. Some notable changes made during the crisis have not yet been rescinded even after it ended. Nevertheless, the crisis underlined the value of the welfare state system in helping ordinary people to successfully insulate themselves against any serious hardship during the period. As a result, the system is very popular in Finland. The Finnish welfare system today faces new challenges emanating from globalization, the EU, demographic changes and structural unemployment.