Stylianos Ioannis Tzagkarakis

Modern Welfare State and Social Democracy: Interdependence and Policy Importance

Social democratic parties during the early stages of their development have accepted capitalism and have considered the welfare state as a tool in order to indirectly achieve the goals of social justice and cohesion. In the first half of the 20th century, the welfare state was the basic tool for the implementation of the social democratic ideas, but after the oil crises of the 1970s and more intensively during the last three decades, the deregulation policies led social democracy to seek its identity as an effort which balances between the implementation of embryonic social measures and deregulation policies. At the same time, it is true that the welfare state needs to be transformed in order to meet current challenges (globalization, technological development, population aging), but this targeting does not necessarily mean its complete dismantling as it is the main balancing mechanism of the risks created by the free market economy. This study aims to categorize social democratic parties based on the social policy framework they embrace and to highlight the political deficit that has led to the dismantling of social policy, to the crisis of the state and consequently to European social democracy crisis.

Το κράτος πρόνοιας ως προϋπόθεση ενός σύγχρονου κράτους (The Welfare State as a Precondition of the Modern State)

Greek Abstract: Ο ορισμός του κράτους πρόνοιας ασφαλώς δeν αποτeλeί απλή υπόθeση από την στιγμή που στην έγκυρη eπιστημονική βιβλιογραφία υπάρχουν πολυποίκιλοι ορισμοί οι οποίοι eπιχeιρούν να αποδώσουν τουλάχιστον τα βασικά χαρακτηριστικά του κράτους πρόνοιας , των στόχων και των λeιτουργιών του. Ορισμένοι συγγραφeίς δίνουν την προτeραιότητα πρωταρχικά στην θeσμική παράμeτρο , άλλοι σe λeιτουργικές πτυχές και άλλοι σe ιδeολογικούς και πολιτικούς παράγοντeς που προσδιορίζουν την φύση του κράτους πρόνοιας. Πέρα από αυτές τις διαπιστώσeις , υπάρχουν ωστόσο κάποια θeμeλιώδη χαρακτηριστικά και αξίeς του κράτους πρόνοιας που το καθιστούν υποστασιακή προϋπόθeση eνός σύγχρονου κράτους. Τα eν λόγω χαρακτηριστικά αντανακλούν αναμφισβήτητα, έναν ξeχωριστό τρόπο λeιτουργίας του κράτους που πeριέχeι έντονα το στοιχeίο του κοινωνικού. Ακριβώς αυτό το σημαντικότατο, στοιχeίο αποτeλeί προϋπόθeση για την ύπαρξή του σύγχρονου κράτους . Στο σημeίο αυτό eντοπίζeται και ο ακριβής στόχος της παρούσας eργασίας, δηλαδή να ξeπeράσeι τις θeωρητικές διαφοροποιήσeις και να αναζητήσeι eκeίνο το θeμeλιώδeς κοινό έδαφος που αποτeλeί το απαραίτητο στοιχeίο για την ύπαρξη του κράτους πρόνοιας. English Abstract: Defining the welfare state is not a simple minded task. Actually, there are numerous definitions which try to reflect at least some of the basic characteristics of the welfare state or its objectives and its functions. For some, there is primarily an institutional parameter, for others there are functional issues which have to be firstly indicated and for others, the ideological and political factors determine the definition and the attitude towards the welfare state. Apart from all these crucial ascertainments, there are some basic fundamental characteristics and values of the welfare state which render it as a precondition of the existence of the modern state. Unquestionably, it reflects a distinct part of the state but most importantly, it comprises a prerequisite for its existence.These characteristics undoubtedly reflect a separate mode of operation of the state, which contains strongly the element of social. This very important element is a prerequisite for the existence of the modern state This is the exact aim of this paper; to surpass the theoretical diversifications and to find the fundamental common ground which forms the indispensability for the existence of the welfare state.

Modern Populism in Greece. From Opposition to Power.

Financial crisis has connected Europe with an obvious common pattern which consists the rapidly rise of protest parties that challenge the established political systems. The basic and new feature of these schemes is the intense war rhetoric against the European Union and the vehement rejection of the selected modes of euro rescue.In this sense, populism appears as a new specter haunting European democracies, as active risk, causing serious concerns. Unfortunately, the growing concern does not coincide with policies aiming at finding viable solutions, as the center-right parties and governments believe that the only solution to the crisis is to adopt austerity measures and Social Democrats have not yet found effective alternatives.This essay will attempt to shed light on some aspects of current populism phenomenon in Greece with particular focus on its modern manifestations.