On the Way to Welfare 4.0 – Digitalisation in Germany politics for europe # 2017 plus (original) (raw)
The “German model was able to overcome the economic and financial crisis relatively well, not being afraid to resort to state aid or state coordination provided for economic and industrial policy. However, globalisation and digitalisation pose further challenges for the welfare state. – Despite good development in the area of digitalisation, there is some way to go with regard to both rolling out broadband and expanding mobile networks. However, because of rapid positive progress in the areas of human capital, internet utilisation and digitalisation of the economy in recent years, Germany is at the forefront in the EU. – With its high-tech strategy and Digital Agenda, the German government is trying to take advantage of the opportunities arising from digitalisation in Germany. In this context, besides technological development, the promotion of the population’s digital competences and the development of Industry 4.0 are of key importance. – Digitalisation of the health care system is still in its infancy in Germany. While individual actors are certainly implementing digital technologies, their networking – a key criterion for a “Health Care 4.0” – has yet to get off the ground. – Coordination of innovation policy is one of the main challenges for the future. How the Digital Agenda and the digital strategy will be able to contribute to the modernisation of the welfare state and boost social and technological innovation remains to be seen.
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Increasing digitalisation is penetrating all areas of the economy, society and politics. This is triggering changes in many areas, which will naturally also affect welfare states. Digitalisation is changing not only industrial production, but also how participation in politics and society is organised; how states and governments provide social services; how participation in the labour market works; how health care services are delivered; and so on. Whereas some studies focus on the risks of digitalisation for the labour market and predict an “end of work” (cf. Frey/Osborne 2013; BMAS 2015), other authors highlight the opportunities that digitalisation offers for social innovation (Buhr 2015; 2016). Such opportunities can be harnessed by means of targeted coordination and change-management if Industry 4.0 also becomes Welfare 4.0. There is currently no in-depth research available into the consequences of digitalisation in and for contemporary welfare states and their adjustment towards Welfare 4.0. However, a number of fundamental questions need to be answered. What effects might digitalisation have on health-care systems? How is labour market policy changing? What role does innovation policy play? How far have developments in individual welfare states progressed? What further developments can we expect? And how will the key players in the relevant policy areas react to these? The questions raised are examined in this study conducted by a group of political scientists from the Eberhard Karls University Tübingen on behalf of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. Under the title On the Way to Welfare 4.0?, both the status of digitalisation and its effects on the fields of labour market, health-care and innovation policy are examined. The analysis focuses on a comparison of seven welfare states: Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. In addition to this comparative study, individual country reports are available that look more closely at the status of welfare state digitalisation (see Buhr/Frankenberger 2016; Buhr/Frankenberger/Fregin/Trämer 2016; Buhr/Frankenberger/Ludewig 2016; Christ/Frankenberger 2016; Fregin/Frankenberger 2016; Schmid/Frankenberger 2016; Trämer/Frankenberger 2016). Together, the studies provide answers to the overarching question of how digitalisation can also result in modernisation of the welfare state, and what needs to be done to ensure that technical innovation can also lead to social progress.
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