Pregledni rad
https://doi.org/10.3935/rsp.v23i1.1280
The Concept of Social Investment in Response to the Crisis and the New Challenges of the Welfare State: Trends and Perspectives
Zdenko Babić
orcid.org/0000-0002-3896-8688
; Studijski centar socijalnog rada, Pravni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Danijel Baturina
orcid.org/0000-0002-9063-305X
; Studijski centar socijalnog rada, Pravni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Sažetak
The context of today's debates about social policies is marked by the negative effects of the economic crisis and new social risks. There is a need for re-designing of the welfare state, which should take into account the new changes and trends, including demographic changes, changes in the labour market and family structure. As a possible answer to the aforementioned social changes and new social risks, especially in the EU countries, a concept of social investment is developing. The paper presents the characteristics of social investment, the way in which it appears in European strategic documents and refers to the criticism of the concept. Social investment is a new concept which in its essence implies a double return on investment: financial return on invested capital on the one hand and the achievement of positive social returns on the other. It is focused on the future; on support of the children and families, work activation and coping with new social risks throughout the life cycle. The authors have analyzed, using the data that show the long-term changes in the structure of social costs in European countries, to what extent has the concept 'come to life' in the European area. The analysis shows that, for now, there is no significant shift in European welfare states towards social investment, with the exception of the Scandinavian countries, and therefore we cannot speak about its achievements and effectiveness. The concept of social investment for now remains a normative platform and an ambiguous policy attempt for reconciling economic and social logic of the welfare state in new conditions. Nevertheless, social investment is becoming a part of social policy and it remains to be seen how much will it be further encouraged as an attempt to respond to new social risks and a possible way of re-thinking the welfare state.
Ključne riječi
social investment; new social risks; welfare state; social costs
Hrčak ID:
155450
URI
Datum izdavanja:
28.3.2016.
Posjeta: 3.473 *