Volume 68, Issue 3

The proposed basic pension in the German statutory pension scheme would misdirect aid in four out of five cases to those not in need if a means test is waived. In order to recognise life`s work even in case of need, personal allowance can be deducted from the means test. However, this leads to different coverages of comparable requirements. A universal increase in the minimum guarantee avoids unequal treatment but leads to higher fiscal burdens. However, any basic pension model can hardly solve the problem of shameful poverty among the elderly.

There are several ideas about health policy. The purpose of this article is to describe the health-specific guiding ideas, planning and control mechanisms and objectives that explain the main thrust of thinking and action of the two currently most important policy conceptions. On the one hand, this is the conception of health policy as economic policy , and on the other hand the health sciences approach of health policy as health-based intervention policy . The differences between both concepts are not trivial and show fundamentally different ideas of the allocation and distribution of health goods and services. When choosing “for or against” the “right” health policy approach, these systemic differences must be adequately taken into account.

This article argues that short-time work stabilized employment in Germany substantially during the Great Recession in 2008/09. The labor market instrument acted in timely manner, as it was used in a rule-based fashion. In addition, discretionary extensions were effective due to their interaction with the business cycle. To ensure that short-time work will be effective in the future, this article proposes an automatic facilitation of the access to short-time work in severe recessions. This reduces the likelihood of a too extensive use at the wrong point in time as well as structural instead of cyclical interventions.

In this text, the DGB develops proposals from a trade union point of view, on how to tackle the emerging structural transformation that will affect large parts of the manufacturing industry. Given the importance of this sector, it is justifiable for the state to use public funds to accompany these structural changes, especially since part of the changes are also a result of state intervention. The primary focus should be set on continuing education and training. The arguments made against subsidized training can be largely refuted in this context. Continuing education and training can be supported by the counselling services of the Employment Agencies. Company training plans can assure that no group of employees is left behind and that the trainings that are carried out are future-oriented. Finally, the financial participation of employers is also a guarantee that no “training for stock” will take place. The instrument of short-time-work must also come into use. However, the conditions in which it can be employed should be expanded and tailored to meet the current challenges. Short-time-work should also be possible in case of a “technological and ecological transformation, leading to massive and rapid changes in the conditions of production”. The IG Metall proposal of a “transformation short-time-work allowance” provides a good basis for this discussion. Another potential source for skilled workers are the currently unemployed persons. Studies show that more unemployed persons would undergo a vocational training if the financial framework conditions were better. The DGB has proposed that an additional allowance should be granted to this group during measures of further education. Such an allowance would particularly support the recipients of minimum income provisions, of whom a large number doesn’t have any completed vocational training.

Zusammenfassung Der Beitrag legt die erfolgreichen Instrumente für den erweiterten Einsatz von Kurzarbeit in der Finanz- und Wirtschaftskrise 2008/2009 zur Stabilisierung von Beschäftigung dar. Auf dieser Grundlage begründet er die Forderung der Bundesvereinigung der Deutschen Arbeitgeberverbände (BDA) für eine Verordnungsermächtigung zugunsten der Bundesregierung, mit der für den Fall schwerer branchenweiter Krisen ein erneuter Einsatz dieses erweiterten Instrumentariums zur Unterstützung von Kurzarbeit ermöglicht werden soll. Außerdem werden sinnvolle Ansätze für die Förderung von Weiterbildung während Kurzarbeit sowie die dazu heute noch bestehenden Hemmnisse untersucht. Der Beitrag setzt sich darüber hinaus mit den Vorschlägen zur Perspektivqualifizierung, zu einem Transformations-Kurzarbeitergeld sowie einer verbesserten Förderung von Qualifizierung in Transfergesellschaften auseinander.

Market, state, and the family of students are important sources of student funding. An empirical analysis for 25 countries in the European Higher Education Area reveals that in 80 % of countries, there is a pattern according to which students who depend on self-financing through the market reach the highest level of total monthly income. Their fellow students, who financially depend on their families, have a median income level and students who are mainly funded by the state have the lowest revenue. The significant differences in revenue between the three groups of students also involve financial problems of varying degrees.

The confrontation between the US and China in the current trade dispute is one of the first clashes between the established and the emerging world power. This contibution examines the special role of critical raw materials in the rivalry of the two countries. The analysis reveals the reliance of the United States on the supply of critical raw materials from China, which is a severe weakness of the US economy and military. The dependency leads to supply risks, undermines the American position in the conflict between the two countries and is an Achilles’ heel that makes the US economy vulnerable. US politics seems to be aware of the risk, but their measures are not sufficient in order to reduce the supply risks and dependency associated with critical raw materials from China. A comprehensive and long-term oriented raw material strategy is required.