The Origins of the "Cause of the Poor": Logics of Appropriation of a "New Social Problem" in Spain (original) (raw)
Related papers
2016
I should warn you, however, that my contribution will be rather more instrumental its approach to the subject, coming as it does from a specialist in a different field-the history of social welfare and regulations-who will try to link his analytical experience of the institutional construction of public welfare to the normative field and even to the parliamentary debate taking place under Spanish liberalism. The greater part of my talk will be taken up with the balance of existing research, both in terms of its aims and in terms of its conclusions, the presentation of a study outline and a request for collaboration. Hopefully, the whole will seem less wordy than the text I have here. On a historiographical note I should stress that Spanish research has by no means neglected the vicissitudes of charitable and philanthropic institutions, social intervention and even the problem of contemporary pauperism. Less common, however, are analyses of the origins and the social and political factors that account for the transition from compassionate charity to today's solidarity. An analysis of that kind needs to address not only the ideological motivations driving the changes but also the historical background to public welfare in Spain, charting its legislative development and the uneven process of institutionalisation. This last consideration requires investigation at two levels. The first is the normative level, encompassing theories and proposals, but also the parliamentary debate. The second involves a positive analysis, through a detailed study of the method actually adopted in institutional practice. With regard to the importance of the welfare model in Spain, suffice it to say that up until only 30 years ago certain welfare institutions and initiatives were still operating whose ideological underpinning had already disappeared from much of Western Europe. I am referring to the existence in Spain of municipal registers of those eligible for poor-support, censuses of the poor as well as poorhouses and orphanages operating within a legal charity-welfare framework. All of us over a certain age can still remember that the welfare system was essentially a discretionary means of attending to those deemed to be poor, contrasting starkly with current benefits which are claimed as of right, such as those deriving from the modern Ley de la Dependencia (Care of Dependents Act) or the laws currently applied to the social services by autonomous regional governments. The principle of right enjoys constitutional backing: articles 1, 10 and 41 guarantee the defence of personal dignity and social protection of all Spanish citizens. Though many features of this political issue remain to be explored, we can safely state that its earliest historical origins are to be found in two fundamental procedures used in nineteenth-century Spain to foster the transformation of the earlier charity-based model: the public centralisation of pre-existing char
Crisis and Welfare Society in Spain
Some arguments are briefly presented about the negative consequences of the deep global economic and financial crisis of 2008 on the economic activity and the social situation in Spain. Reformulation, sustainability and financial viability of social welfare in Spain require a new management through resource efficiency, increasing market presence and initiative of stakeholders as a whole. In this sense, the main credible argument of the welfare social in Spain depends on a new perspective on socialization and generosity of social protection system. Specifically, the solution to the crisis must come through economic growth, increased productivity, employment and competitiveness and not by the way of increasing levels of social protection.
CHAPTER 15. CONCLUSIONS. THE SPANISH WELFARE STATE IN EUROPEAN CONTEXT
Describing and critically analysing the characteristics of the Spanish welfare state since the transition to contemporary democracy has been the core aim of this book. As explained in the Introduction, although this project was not designed to use a comparative methodology, it includes a comparative dimension, in two main respects.
The Spanish welfare state in European context
2011
This volume aims to explore, from a comparative perspective, the evolution of the Spanish welfare state since Spain's transition to democracy in 1975. The book seeks to go beyond a case study and to situate Spain within the European Union (EU) and among other south European countries. While several volumes have been published in English on the Italian and the Greek welfare states, this is the first such study of the Spanish one. Given that Spain has the fifth-largest economy in the EU, such a gap needs to be filled. To be sure, the number of experts assessing the evolution of social policy in Spain and the number of articles and book chapters published in English on the Spanish welfare state have increased steadily since the 1990s. Yet the bulk of the research results tend to be published in Spanish. We hope, therefore, that this book will encourage and help scholars to include the Spanish case in their comparative research endeavours. We also believe that it will be useful for policymakers and social and political actors who seek information on Spain. The authors who have collaborated in this volume are all members of the recently constituted ESPAnet-Spain (Red Española de Política Social, REPS), a national network affiliated to the European Social Policy Analysis Network (ESPAnet). The creation of, and the activities developed by, REPS can be considered the catalyst of this book. The authors are all well-known researchers in Spain and internationally in their areas of expertise. ESPAnet-Spain has already celebrated two annual meetings, in 2009 and 2010. Membership has increased rapidly, to over 500 academics and representatives of the policy community at the beginning of 2011. The book has also 2 profited from financial support provided by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (CSO2009-07821-E). At the time of writing (early 2011), Spain has been a stable democracy for over three decades. It therefore already has a substantially long tradition of democratic reform of social policies. This, in turn, enables longitudinal analyses that identify, among various reform episodes, those that initiated long-term trajectories of reform. It also helps us to distinguish real reform achievements from shortcomings that are yet to be tackled and resolved, especially in the face of the economic crisis that began in 2008. The present volume thus appears at an interesting point in time. Spain's welfare state was consolidated after those of most west European countries. Together with the other south European countries, Spain followed an 'atypical trajectory of change' (Gunther et al. 1995) framed fundamentally by a late (mid-seventies) transition to democracy (with the exception of Italy) and a rapid process of modernization. Spain and indeed also Italy, Portugal and Greece were seen as 'unique' in comparative social policy and welfare research to the extent that their welfare systems were, compared with the more advanced ones in western Europe, in their adolescence if not infancy (Leibfried 1993). 1 Welfare arrangements in the four south European countries were also supported by distinctive political, cultural and socioeconomic traits. Labels such as the 'southern model', the 'Latin rim', or the 'Mediterranean periphery' were designed precisely to classify these countries in a different category from the three well-established welfare regime types. However, 1 It should be noted, though, that Leibfried considers only social assistance policies. Also, modest safety nets have become much less modest since Leibfried published his analysis.
The rise of poverty and inequality in the aftermath of the Spanish crisis
Rauhut, D. y Hatti, N.: Poverty, Politics and the Poverty of Politics, pp. 65-98. Delhi: B. R. Publishing Corporation
The great rise in poverty and inequality in Spain Over the last few years, Spain has suffered a sharp increase in poverty and inequality. The percentage of the population at risk of poverty or social exclusion has risen from 23.3% in 2007 to 28.6% in 2015, more than 5 points above the average of the European Union (EU) (EUROSTAT, 2016a). Inequality has shot up in the country: Spain has become the country with the third highest level of inequality in the EU (as measured by the ratio between the income of the first and the last quintiles), after experiencing the second largest increase in the whole of the EU since 2007. The rise in poverty and inequality in Spain is a result of the dramatic impact of the economic crisis on the most vulnerable segments of the population. Does it also constitute a turning point towards a model of society characterised by higher levels of inequality and social exclusion? This chapter analyses how Spain reached this situation, describing the dramatic economic and social changes experienced by the Spanish population as a result of the crisis and the policies applied. To put this into context, it first explains the political and economic evolution of Spain and the development of its welfare state over the last few decades. Then, it describes the collapse of the Spanish economy after the outbreak of the crisis, and its consequences for the most vulnerable groups. After that, the chapter describes the austerity policies applied, involving deep cuts in social programs and a deterioration in working conditions. Next, it analyses the situation and evolution of poverty and inequality in Spain, considering how they affect the different social groups. Also, the territorial impact of poverty and inequality is analysed, considering differences between regions and between urban and rural areas. This chapter paints a precise picture of the economic and social impact of the crisis on the Spanish population. But also, due to the international significance of the Spanish case, it also aims to provide insights that go beyond it, contributing to the understanding of some of the global structural changes that are leading to increasing levels of inequality (Piketty, 2014).
Spain, a via media of welfare development
The paper analyses developments in social policy and welfare in Spain during the second half of the 20th century and examines current reforms and policy changes for the near future. In particular, it focuses on the process of devolution of powers to the regions (Comunidades Autónomas). It also examines changes in the areas of unemployment, pensions and the financing of social policies, which are regarded as having particular relevance to Spain's welfare future. The development of the Spanish welfare system is a story of relatively succesful expansion. In shows how sub-national government can play a leading role in welfare innovation.
European Journal of Social Work, 2018
After the economic crisis, neo-liberal policies in Spain established cuts in the public social welfare systems, which have had to face the increase in social demands from the population with fewer economic and human resources. The effects have been particularly hard on the population. The European Commission, in the Commission Staff Working Document, Country Report Spain 2017, notes an increase in inequality in Spain in spite of its macroeconomic improvement. The article summarises the impact that the economic crisis had on Spanish families and the austerity measures from the neo-liberal policies implemented by the government. Concerned by the social services' capacity to respond to them, the General Council of Social Work carried out Research Projects (2014-2015). Their analysis is presented here. The research started from 32,127 social workers, a confidence level of 95.5%, and a margin of error of ±3 in the worst-case scenario of P = Q. The sample comprised 2406 professionals. The results can be extrapolated to the totality of social workers in Spain and confirm the serious consequences the austerity measures have had on the population, social welfare systems and social workers who have dealt with neo-liberalism using social critical theory and militant practice. RESUMEN Las políticas neoliberales españolas, tras la crisis, han establecido recortes en los sistemas públicos de bienestar social que han tenido que afrontar el aumento de las demandas sociales de la población con menos recursos económicos y humanos. Los efectos han sido de extraordinaria complejidad para la ciudadanía y los profesionales del trabajo social, situación denunciada por la European Commission en la Commission Staff Working Document. Country Report Spain 2017, al constatar un incremento de pobreza, exclusión social y desigualdad entre ricos y pobres en España a pesar de los datos macroeconómicos. El artículo sintetiza el impacto que la crisis económica tuvo en las familias españolas y las medidas de austeridad de las políticas neoliberales implementadas por el gobierno. Preocupado por la capacidad de los