Le concept de Welfare State (document en anglais)

Define the concept of welfare state. Compare central traits of the Norwegian welfare state with relevant traits in another country. When you compare; remember to address both similarities and differences.

Contents

Introduction 2

I. Welfare State 3-4

a) Social-Democratic

b) Christian-Democratic

c) Liberal

II. Health Laws 4-7

1. National Insurance Act in Norway

2. Public health system (« Sécurité Sociale) in France

III. Immigration 7

a) Norway

b) France

IV. Employment policies 8

a) Norway

b) France

Conclusion 9

Bibliography

Introduction

The expression « Welfare State » appeared in Europe during the nineteen century but this appearance was not the beginning of the social policies implement.

Indeed, the first social measure appeared centuries ago during the Republican period in Roma.

The State offered wheat and money to the poor citizens. At first, it was only for children over ten years old then, for those under ten and, thanks to Nerva (Roman Emperor) this measure evolved and helped all the citizens.

The first health insurance has been set up by Bismarck in Germany in 1883. Workmen earning more than two thousand marks per month had contributed to this tax.

According to different sources, this term appeared in France and Germany at the same moment.

Some think it has been invented in 1791 during the Second Empire by French republicans who criticized individualistic laws. These citizens wanted a “social state” concerned by the well-being of the inhabitants of their country. Some others think this term was used for the first time by Emile Ollivier in 1864. Ollivier thought the State was not able to set up national united system. And, according to Alain Supiot, jurist, this term is catholic. It would have a link with the social doctrine of the Church during the nineteenth century. An explicit legitimation of the public guardianship in the economic sphere is explained in this text.

In Scandinavia the triggering event of the appearance of their Welfare State was the Second World War.

In this essay we will answer to two questions: What is a “welfare state”? What are the differences and the similarities between social policies in France and Norway?

In the first part we will try to define this concept and describe the three different “Welfare States” globally set up.

In the second part we will describe the social policies in France and Norway – when did the first education law appear, the differences between immigration in Norway and France, the unemployment measures and when did the health and retirement policies appear.

I. Welfare State

In “Work, oil and welfare – the welfare state in Norway” written by Knut Halvorsen and Steinar Stjerno, we can read that a “welfare regime refers to a country’s idiosyncratic policy mix of labor market, family, public pensions and cash system”.

A welfare state is a provision of services for people who do not have the psychological or the financial means to meet their needs. It is financed by donations, tax, social contribution from wage-earning or manager and handled by the State, social partners, community or organization.

The welfare state has many definitions linked to the different kind of social policies which we can find all over the world.

On the European scale we can list three meanings:

• In France, “l’État Providence” has a role to play when the State has to intervene and take the risk to weaken natural solidarities because the shattered society cannot fulfill their solidarity role.

• In Germany, the “Wolhfaarstaat” is a bureaucratic, social and paternalistic state. It is characterized by strong intermediary bodies, the delegation of authority and the state regulations.

• In Norway and in Scandinavian countries, the Welfare State is present to protect the poor and laborers.

According to Gosta Esping-Andersen there are three kinds of welfare state in the world:

a) Social-Democratic

The Social-Democratic welfare state is present in Norway, Sweden – perhaps Finland, Denmark.

Its characteristics are :

• “universalism” defined by the access to benefits and services based on citizenship,

• strong decommodification, citizens are independent toward the market

• full employment: “a historic obligation on the part of the state to full employment to be achieved through active labor market policies”,

• social benefits: “a universal system of relatively generous social benefits related to unemployment, sickness, disability, old age, etc.”,

• gender equality: “an extensive family policy which favors gender equality”,

• basic minimum pension: “a basic minimum pension for all citizens and income-related

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