Pregledni rad
https://doi.org/10.3935/rsp.v7i3.240
Social WElfare in Croatia: Future Directions of Development
Zoran Šućur
; Studijski centar socijalnog rada, Pravni fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu
Sažetak
This article discusses the development of social welfare in Croatia, from both a long-term and a short-term perspective. In the last few years, the pressure on the welfare system in Croatia has increased for different reasons. There has been a weakening of industrial and economic activity, a growth of unemployment, a reduction of foreign humanitarian help, and a transfer of certain rights from other systems to social welfare. Numerous other difficulties have also emerged related to the return of displaced persons. The author first analyses the scope and structure of poverty, beginning with the most recent research, and then evaluates the role of social welfare in fighting poverty in during the 1990s. The trends associated with the number of users and the expenditures allocated to social welfare are expounded in detail. Particular attention has been devoted to the living allowance as one of the most important social programmes. In the second part of the article, the author presents measures of social welfare reform, with two objectives in mind: the rationalisation of the system and the increase in its efficiency. The demands for rationalisation stem from the great difficulties in financing social allowances. Among short-term and medium-term measures, the author emphasises normative changes, the increase in the level of general social welfare, the computerisation of the data collection system, better information about social welfare rights, the gradual decrease in the amounts of allowances, depending on wage levels and the decentralisation of allowances and decision-making. Concerning long-term conceptual changes, the author analyses three ideas: negative income tax, basic income, and minimum wages. He gives priority to the latter concept, but by taking into consideration a different definition of minimum wage. Minimum wages would have the role of an anchor in the social welfare system and would be determined on the basis of objective scientific research, but also bearing in mind public attitudes on the minimum decent standard of living.
Ključne riječi
social welfare; living allowance; poverty; decentralisation; minimum wages; basic income; negative income tax; development strategy of social welfare
Hrčak ID:
30029
URI
Datum izdavanja:
1.3.2000.
Posjeta: 3.564 *