The new welfare: Unemployment and social security in Europe

Book abstract:

This volume collects the work of various scholars on two major problems facing the European Union (EU): unemployment and social security, and particularly, in terms of the latter, the public pension scheme. The aim of the work, as its title 'The New Welfare' suggests, is to foster a better environment for employment and to facilitate reform in the social security systems throughout Europe.

The general editor Mario Baldassarri has divided the papers into two parts. Part one, on 'how to promote employment', contains an argument against what Franco Modigliani and Marialuisa Ceprini call the 'misguided' monetary policy at the root of European unemployment, as well as studies of employment performance and policies throughout the EU, productivity and job creation in the US and Europe, working hours, the banking system, potential alliances between public and private sectors for the 'new' welfare state, and a specific comparison of social expenditure between Italy and the rest of the EU. Part two, on 'how to reform social security', consists of Mario Baldassarri's own inquiry into who benefits from and who pays for the welfare state and the pension system in Italy; a response to how Italy can save its pension reforms in the European Social Security system; the welfare state in terms of the British proposal; the Italian framework of social security itself; work by Mario Orio on the choice between public and private welfare; a paper on making the most from the future of the European pension system and, finally, Cesare Salvi's study of the social security and its 'three pillars': a public pillar based on contributions, a supplementary pillar based on a system of capitalisation, and one based on full privatisation which recognises individual choices and freedoms.

The book will be of use for scholars, students, practitioners, and anyone involved in areas of welfare, unemployment and social security.