The diversity of social protection in Europe and Europeanization/ la diversità della protezione sociale in Europa e l’eu

1. The diversity of social protection in Europe and Europeanization/ la diversità della protezione sociale in Europa e l’europeanizazzione Jean-Claude Barbier Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne Lecture, Università di Milano-Biccoca 26 Maggio 2009 Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

2. Outline • Epistemological and methological dimensions and pre-requisites • What is convergence, what is diversity, what is ‘Europeanization’? • The diversity of social protection systems in the literature • ‘Social Europe’ and some relevant features of social protection • Conclusions about diversity and Europeanization Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

3. I - Epistemological and methological posture • 1 – Common obstacles Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

4. 1 Passion/Utopia 2 Capture by actors 3 Mischievous couple: nationalism/post-nationalism 4 Mixing levels of abstraction: diversity as a blind spot 5 ‘Economicism’ a common lack of significant/adequate empirical data: ex: Ulrich Beck –”zombie science” (rejection of methodological nationalism) Five reasons for social scientists to overestimate the influence of ‘Europe’ Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

5. 2 - Pre-requisites • Universalism and relativism • Objectivity and value-judgments control (Wertfreiheit) • Attention to language • Attention to categories Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

6. Universalism and relativistic culturalism, parrochialismo • Universalism: +/- radical/moderate • Culturalism; relativism – cognitive/ cultural; particularism… • => the solution is in distinguishing levels of abstraction (scale di astrazione, Sartori) • From particularistic universalisms to universalistic particularism (Hyman) Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

7. Scale di astrazione • reduction/abstraction • what is universal • ”local” universal (ex: Europe) • families, ”clusters”, ”elementary forms” [poverty: Paugam] • what is national specific/singular • Etc…. The epistemological debate, distant from extremes is relatively settled Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

8. Objectivity and value-judgments control (Wertfreiheit) • The distinction between analysis and judgment • Autonomy from politics • Wertbeziehung – the researcher’s value orientation/bias Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

9. Attention to language and concepts • G. Sartori, « La comparazione nelle scienze sociali », 1991 • What is comparable? « Mele e pere? » • « Il can-gatto »: • « vacche griggie » Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

10. Esempio di can-gatti e vacche grige: « workfare » • Workfare= the « work obligation » – USA; 1996 TANF (ex-AFDC); • « RMI » and « insertion » as workfare • Danish « aktivering » as workfare • Workfare a l’italiana? • http://www.laviedesidees.fr/Pour-un-bilan-du-workfare-et-de-l.html Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

11. Attention to concepts/notions • Ex: la parola « attivazione » • Cf. Rivista delle Politiche sociali, Gennaio-Marzo, 2005 • Political discourse  sociology Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

12. II - What is convergence, what is diversity, what is ‘Europeanization’? • Convergence= objects (policies, politics, instruments, parties, programmes, etc..) become the same [convergence of what and where to?] • [going in the same direction is not converging: parallel but different, ex/ religious values in Europe] • Diversity: at a certain level of abstraction, differences (national, sub-national, etc.) • Europeanization: a process that tends to render objects (..) similar and pertaining to the collective construction of a « Europeanized » type (as opposed to..); poltics/policies defined, etc. at the EU-level; socialisation of elites.. Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

13. III - The diversity of social protection systems (1) • The classical approach: regimes of welfare capitalism and varieties of capitalism: a progress vis-à-vis the past • The many limits of the welfare regimes « industry »: -number of types (the Southern model;.) -ideal-types as static and deterministic classifications -the problem of many hybrids (the Netherlands, Switzerland, France..) Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

14. The diversity of social protection systems (2) • there is always some singularity unexplained • Singularity is national or sub-national (regional..) • Singularity is linked to political cultures Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

15. The diversity of social protection systems (3) • There is no convergence of systems • There is limited Europeanization • « ideas » are Europeanized: the Open methods of coordination = cognitive coordination • « substance » remains national: ex: amortizzatori sociali in Italia/pension funds in France and Germany/ generous social protection in Sweden..as opposed to the UK • => coordinating national diversity Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

16. A sociological question: why does diversity persist? • Why, despite (1) far-reaching socialisation of European élites, and variegated Europeanisation • (2)The existence of a de facto ‘European government’ (Andy Smith) • (3) « die  post-nationale Konstellation » (Habermas) • The ‘social dimension’ has gone so slowly?

18. Content of the book • 1 social protection, a major element of politics in Europe has remained/will remain, national (cf. M. Ferrera 2005) • 2 important but modest EU intervention (economic and legal rules) • 3 sociology can explain diversity in Europe, which economics cannot (generally) =>political communities are closed by language and the frontiers of solidarity • 5 future (?) the importance of investing in languages, cultures and humanities Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

19. IV- Looking for the actual ‘social Europe’: how does it work • Social Europe= the EU layer + 27 systems, so many families and clusters • Policies and politics/ the legal order • Sketching the main periods of a very limited achievement Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

20. The legal order and negative integration • An integrated legal order (invented by the ECJ) • Distribution of competences: social matters/economic freedoms • Negative integration (Scharpf, 1999) Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

21. Important but modest progress • General framework:3 dimensions matter • - economic objectives from the start • - asymmetry of the legal sources/competences (social rights/economic freedoms) • - the pervasive and increasing role of the ECJ [Legitimation ?] Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

22. Mapping out milestones • Before 1992 • The European Court case-law influence in the background [four economic freedoms]. • social ‘programmes’: coordination of social security, and health and safety regulations • From 1992 • SAMAK and J. Delors Amsterdam treaty and Lisbon summit (1997-2000): => OMCs of various hues: the golden age • 2004-2008 • turning points + the Irish No • What now? 2009-2010 Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

23. Small progress ahead (business as usual..bar the financial crisis ?) • EU-wide Minimum wage • Increasing social solidarity through articulating better fiscal policies (‘the economic government of Europe’ , the Party of European Socialists’ programme and the French presidency..) • ‘Minimum’ directives= minimum rights, including in education (basic education) • A new ‘push’ for social Europe (declaration by 9 countries, Feb, 7, 2007) [Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Cyprus and Hungary] • And so on… Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

24. Policies of a special type: - no ‘implementation’ - no funding - no direct beneficiaries/victims Politics of a special type: - no electorate - competition between member states - left/right divide is masked: surface general interest Politicization increasing since the referendums in 2005 and 2008 ‘cognitive’ policies: crafting and communicating ‘ideas’ surface de-politicization [« La Commission est politique mais elle n’est pas partisane », J.M. Barroso, interview 20 May 2009] European Parliament + national politicization of EU issues (ex: Services directive) EU social programmes: policies/politics at the EU level Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

25. At the national level, the triangle of ‘political culture’ • The resilience/ persistence of national political cultures explain why ‘social Europe’ is limited Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

26. Within each polity/ nation « values » A non-culturalist approach of political culture The language of politics and social justice practices institutions Outside influences (national, global) Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

27. Political cultures are closed, foster bonds and ‘speak’ one language • Following on F. Scharpf, and M. Ferrera, and B. Rothstein • The absence of a European polity => the impossibility of social justice discussion at the EU level • Surface Europeanisation/Language problems and ‘welfare Populism’ Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

28. Key characteristics of the ‘closure’ for social protection [il welfare] • Una nazione sociologica • Identification processes [vs. essentialist identities] • Citizen’s participation and reciprocity (political and moral logic) • National law and territory (boundaries M. Ferrera) • Language • Elements impossible to bypass • Yet, closure is relative and certainly not essentialist/ethnic Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

29. So many countries, so many polities The variety of fundamental values is limited (common values, H.-P. Müller) No EU-level political culture No EU-level polity [emerging?] « Ultimate » politics, « politicized » politics are national: 27 distinct and « messy » processes; 27 political cycles, etc. National politics: invisible from « Brussels » Political cultures are close but closed Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

30. Invest in time Downplay post-national utopias (Habermas: Verfassungspatriotismus + basic minimum income) Learn from federalist states (Canada) Use exogenous shocks « Invent a new democratic system » (Y. Meny) multilingualism Devise genuine EU-level cultural policies Contribute to the gradual building of a European political community [including the judiciary] Teach citizens [children, the young] the benefits of diversity and European common values = universal access to moral education, history, languages and humanities Priority to the disadvantaged sections in unequal countries= the ever lurking and looming threat of populism V – 1 Normative conclusions: social Europe needs investing in culture Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne

31. V-2 Conclusions: three scenarios • 1 – Gradual degradation of the Eu-level system • 2 – within 10 years, restarting more integration in the social domain • 3 – Europe as a single market (vs. political project) Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne