Routledge - New Contractualism in European Welfare State Policies

Explore the evolution of social governance with New Contractualism in European Welfare State Policies by Routledge. This academic text examines the transition from the Golden Age of the European welfare state to the modern era of regulation. During the peak of welfare expansion, citizens benefited from strengthened social rights through collective income security and social services. However, the economic shifts of the 1970s, including inflation, the oil crisis, and high unemployment, changed the landscape. This book analyzes the critical arguments that emerged during this period, specifically those claiming that the welfare state focused too heavily on individual social rights while neglecting citizen responsibilities. Readers will gain insight into how many Western countries moved toward contractual modes of thinking and regulation throughout the 1980s. This work provides a necessary look at how policy frameworks have shifted to balance rights and responsibilities within the European social model.