12 The dynamics of inequality in Europe
-
Steffen Mau
Abstract
In the previous chapter, we showed how the project of European integration has developed in recent decades. In the social sciences, this process has mainly been analysed from the perspective of vertical Europeanisation, which refers to the shifting of political decision-making competence upwards (Beck and Grande, 2007). However, the European regulatory framework also affects the societies of Member States and brings about new forms of social stratification. We have already highlighted the fact that during the establishment of nation-states, a specific form of social segmentation developed, namely the model of the congruence of social and political integration, a model predicated on territorial and social closure. As a result of Europeanisation, this model has undergone fundamental changes because the societies of individual nation-states are caught up in the process of supranationalisation, and their economic and social structures are coming increasingly under the influence of Europe. It can therefore be assumed that the process of Europeanisation is triggering a new dynamic of inequality – with new groups of winners and losers, new lines of distributional conflict, as well as new normative conceptions of social inequality. At the same time, some of the old cleavages that have characterised Europe already for a long historical period (see Part 1) continue to play a role, although these social and geographical divisions are continually transformed.
In research on Europe, it is assumed that in the medium term the European Union is constituting itself not just as a political and economic space, but also as a social space (Rumford, 2002; Heidenreich, 2006a; Beck and Grande, 2007; Fligstein, 2008).
Abstract
In the previous chapter, we showed how the project of European integration has developed in recent decades. In the social sciences, this process has mainly been analysed from the perspective of vertical Europeanisation, which refers to the shifting of political decision-making competence upwards (Beck and Grande, 2007). However, the European regulatory framework also affects the societies of Member States and brings about new forms of social stratification. We have already highlighted the fact that during the establishment of nation-states, a specific form of social segmentation developed, namely the model of the congruence of social and political integration, a model predicated on territorial and social closure. As a result of Europeanisation, this model has undergone fundamental changes because the societies of individual nation-states are caught up in the process of supranationalisation, and their economic and social structures are coming increasingly under the influence of Europe. It can therefore be assumed that the process of Europeanisation is triggering a new dynamic of inequality – with new groups of winners and losers, new lines of distributional conflict, as well as new normative conceptions of social inequality. At the same time, some of the old cleavages that have characterised Europe already for a long historical period (see Part 1) continue to play a role, although these social and geographical divisions are continually transformed.
In research on Europe, it is assumed that in the medium term the European Union is constituting itself not just as a political and economic space, but also as a social space (Rumford, 2002; Heidenreich, 2006a; Beck and Grande, 2007; Fligstein, 2008).
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables v
- List of figures vi
- Acknowledgements viii
- List of EU countries ix
- Introduction and conceptual considerations 1
-
The European social model from a historical perspective
- Commonalities and intra-European exchange 9
- Political-economic models and institutional arrangements 49
-
European societies compared
- Political-economic models and institutional arrangements 49
- Population and family 87
- Migration 115
- Labour market and employment 135
- Education 173
- Social inequality 193
- Quality of life 225
-
European integration and European society in the making
- Institutional and political aspects of Europeanisation 263
- The dynamics of inequality in Europe 285
- Horizontal Europeanisation 303
- Subjective Europeanisation 329
- Conclusion: rise of a European society? 349
- References 357
- Index 417
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables v
- List of figures vi
- Acknowledgements viii
- List of EU countries ix
- Introduction and conceptual considerations 1
-
The European social model from a historical perspective
- Commonalities and intra-European exchange 9
- Political-economic models and institutional arrangements 49
-
European societies compared
- Political-economic models and institutional arrangements 49
- Population and family 87
- Migration 115
- Labour market and employment 135
- Education 173
- Social inequality 193
- Quality of life 225
-
European integration and European society in the making
- Institutional and political aspects of Europeanisation 263
- The dynamics of inequality in Europe 285
- Horizontal Europeanisation 303
- Subjective Europeanisation 329
- Conclusion: rise of a European society? 349
- References 357
- Index 417
