1 / 9

Jørgen Goul Andersen CCWS, Aalborg University, Denmark Policy Network Seminar: Boon or burden?

Is support for the welfare state being undermined by immigration – or does the welfare state mobilize solidarity with immigrants?. Jørgen Goul Andersen CCWS, Aalborg University, Denmark Policy Network Seminar: Boon or burden? Immigration and reform of European welfare states

sheryl
Download Presentation

Jørgen Goul Andersen CCWS, Aalborg University, Denmark Policy Network Seminar: Boon or burden?

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Is support for the welfare state being undermined by immigration – or does the welfare state mobilize solidarity with immigrants? Jørgen Goul Andersen CCWS, Aalborg University, Denmark Policy Network Seminar: Boon or burden? Immigration and reform of European welfare states London, October13, 2008

  2. Does immigration erode solidarity ? 1. Culture hypothesis: Cultural homogeneity = precondition of welfare solidarity (Alesina & Glaeser, 2004) People indeed do feel more solidarity with people resembling themselves (e.g. Wim van Oorschot, 2007) 2. Institutional hypothesis: Institutions matter: Type of welfare state matters • residual welfare state targeted to the poor = vulnerable • institutional welfare state covering social risks and providing services for the entire population = much less vulnerable Temporal order matters • may be difficult to builda welfare state • far less difficult to maintaina welfare state • Welfare state may even mobilize solidarity

  3. Issue of Immigration in Danish elections

  4. General support for welfare increasing:Improved Welfare or Tax Relief ”Suppose that it would be possible to reduce taxes, what would you prefer…?”

  5. Attitudes towards welfare spending 2007

  6. Change in spending attitudes 1990-2007

  7. Association between considering immigration an important problem and attitudes to immigration, 1998-2007.

  8. Welfare for the Danes: A dual welfare state? 2002: Immigration Package - strongly restricted access to immigration and family reunion - new social assistance scheme for immigrants - regardless of citizenship - but only for people immigrating from non-EU countries 2002: More people to work: Labour Market Package - limitations on social assistance in order to ensure that there would always be an incentive to take a low-paid job 2005: A New Chance for All: Integration Package - requirement that married people receiving social assistance should have 300 hours of ”normal” paid employment in order to maintain social assistance benefits. 2008: Compromise to reduce impact of European Community Law regarding right of migrant citizens: 300 hours requirement increased to 450 h.

  9. More general tendency towards dual welfare state? • Full public pensions requires 40 years of residence (1973 – not aimed at immigrants from outside EU) • Otherwise as universal welfare staterather inclusive welfare state for immigrants. (disability benefits, health care use; child care, elderly care etc.) • Refugees have the same rights as Danish citizens

More Related