Ten The Greek welfare state in the age of austerity: anti-social policy and the politico-economic crisis
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Theodoros Papadopoulos
Abstract
Greece was the first of the countries in the EU periphery engulfed in the so-called sovereign debt crisis which, it is argued, is also a deeply political crisis. This multifaceted crisis has signalled the end of the post-dictatorship politico-economic regime in Greece and has raised serious questions about the direction of EU integration and the role of national democratic politics and national economic sovereignty within it. The background to the crisis is explored by discussing how multiple and mutually reinforcing causes created the ‘perfect storm’ conditions for its eruption. This is followed by a critical presentation of the key austerity and deregulatory measures adopted by the Greek government until the end of December 2011. Finally a discussion of the impact of austerity measures on the economy, welfare and society more generally, demonstrates that the measures taken thus far have reduced socio-economic security, traumatised social cohesion and sunk the Greek economy into the deepest and most prolonged recession in recent memory with detrimental effects for Greek society.
Abstract
Greece was the first of the countries in the EU periphery engulfed in the so-called sovereign debt crisis which, it is argued, is also a deeply political crisis. This multifaceted crisis has signalled the end of the post-dictatorship politico-economic regime in Greece and has raised serious questions about the direction of EU integration and the role of national democratic politics and national economic sovereignty within it. The background to the crisis is explored by discussing how multiple and mutually reinforcing causes created the ‘perfect storm’ conditions for its eruption. This is followed by a critical presentation of the key austerity and deregulatory measures adopted by the Greek government until the end of December 2011. Finally a discussion of the impact of austerity measures on the economy, welfare and society more generally, demonstrates that the measures taken thus far have reduced socio-economic security, traumatised social cohesion and sunk the Greek economy into the deepest and most prolonged recession in recent memory with detrimental effects for Greek society.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables and figures v
- Notes on contributors vii
- 40th anniversary preface xi
- Introduction 1
-
Current developments
- Universal Credit: overview and gender implications 15
- Family support and the Coalition: retrenchment, refocusing and restructuring 35
- Housing, the welfare state and the Coalition government 55
- The 2012/13 reforms of higher education in England: changing student finances and funding 77
- Division and opposition: the Health and Social Care Bill 2011 97
-
Social policy in the developed and developing worlds
- Immigrant-targeted activation policies: a comparison of the approaches in the Scandinavian welfare states 117
- Welfare retrenchment under Left and Right government leadership: towards a consolidated framework of analysis? 137
- From black hole to spring: the coming of age of social policy in the Arab countries? 165
- China’s developmental model in Africa: a new era for global social policy? 183
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Severe crisis: social policy in most challenging circumstances
- The Greek welfare state in the age of austerity: anti-social policy and the politico-economic crisis 205
- From opportunity to austerity: crisis and social policy in Spain 231
- From financial crisis to welfare retrenchment: assessing the challenges to the Irish welfare state 257
- The Great Recession and US social policy: from expansion to austerity 277
- Seeking refuge in the Nordic model: social policy in Iceland after 2008 297
- Index 319
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- List of tables and figures v
- Notes on contributors vii
- 40th anniversary preface xi
- Introduction 1
-
Current developments
- Universal Credit: overview and gender implications 15
- Family support and the Coalition: retrenchment, refocusing and restructuring 35
- Housing, the welfare state and the Coalition government 55
- The 2012/13 reforms of higher education in England: changing student finances and funding 77
- Division and opposition: the Health and Social Care Bill 2011 97
-
Social policy in the developed and developing worlds
- Immigrant-targeted activation policies: a comparison of the approaches in the Scandinavian welfare states 117
- Welfare retrenchment under Left and Right government leadership: towards a consolidated framework of analysis? 137
- From black hole to spring: the coming of age of social policy in the Arab countries? 165
- China’s developmental model in Africa: a new era for global social policy? 183
-
Severe crisis: social policy in most challenging circumstances
- The Greek welfare state in the age of austerity: anti-social policy and the politico-economic crisis 205
- From opportunity to austerity: crisis and social policy in Spain 231
- From financial crisis to welfare retrenchment: assessing the challenges to the Irish welfare state 257
- The Great Recession and US social policy: from expansion to austerity 277
- Seeking refuge in the Nordic model: social policy in Iceland after 2008 297
- Index 319
