Ten Worlds of Welfare Capitalism: A Global Data Analysis

Description

This book presents a new step farther into the twenty-first century, for the first time truly combining a comprehensive global data analysis with social policy theory development. The theory of global ideal-typical welfare regimes, also known as the “Ten Worlds of Welfare Regime Theory”, as set forth earlier by Christian Aspalter, is now in this book tested empirically using a quantitative global data analysis for the first time. The strong and rich results fully vindicated the Ten Worlds Theory. All in all, about 150 countries are included in this test, measuring numerous variables on two main dimensions, i.e., povertization and inequality. The innovative approach of using a new indicator, Aspalter’s Standardized Relative Performance Index, is applied, which facilitated the exact measurements of distances between relative performances of each variable, each dimension, each country, and each ideal-typical welfare regime (in relation to one another, respectively). In addition, one explanative and one normative meta-study is added to the book, to point to ways to understand and deal with the global culprit of inequality and, hence, poverty. “On the backdrop of decades of comparative theoretical and empirical research we now, for the first time, have a truly global analysis of welfare regimes.” ---- Peter Abrahamson, Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen Contents Part I Introductory Part: Background and Rationale 1 Introduction: On the Particular Nature of Ideal Types Applied and Moving Science Forward a Bit at a Time On the Ideal–Typical Representation of Reality On the Existence of Perfect More-or-Less-Fits On the Nature of Ideal Types in the Ten Worlds Theory About Moving Forward The Way Ahead On the Ways to Move Along Good Wine Takes Time New Conceptual Tools About This Book Part II Theory Building: From Empirical Reality for Social Policy Practice 2 On the Methodology Applied Applying the Method of Theory Building Applying the Abduction Method The Methodology of Using Multi-Methods Using the Multi-Methods and Mixing-Methods Approaches Developing and Applying the Standardized Relative Performance Index Learning from Physics and Chemistry: Introducing and Applying the Method of Spectral Data Analysis The Problem of Bi-Modal Distributions in Global Social Policy Comparison Focusing on and Developing (Non-Statistical) Meta-Analyses Pushing Out the Limits of Discipline-Specific Methodology: One Little Step at a Time 3 Ten Ideal–Typical Worlds and Their Individual Sets of Key Characteristics On the Distinction Between Descriptive and Explanatory Theories Ten Worlds of Welfare Capitalism and Their Regime Characteristics Social Democratic Welfare Regime Christian Democratic Welfare Regime Neoliberal Welfare Regime Pro-Welfare Conservative Welfare Regime Anti-Welfare Conservative Welfare Regime Slightly Universal Welfare Regime Selective Rudimentary Welfare Regime Exclusion-Based Welfare Regime Ultra Rudimentary Welfare Regime Socialist/Communist Welfare Regime The Overall Picture 4 Welfare Regimes and Their Povertization and Inequality Outcomes The Dimensions of Povertization and Inequality Looking at the Empirical Data: The Spectral Data Analysis 5 Distinct Shades and Patterns of Dehumanization: Mapping Global Welfare Regimes Empirical Data Versus Hijacked Realities of Thought The Reality and Concept of Dehumanization: Letting the Data Speak Conclusion Part III Normative/Concluding Part 6 Back to the Future: Income Polarization, Mass Povertization and Simple Ways out of It Turning the Clock from the Past to the Future Universal Basic Income: New Specter or New Opportunity to Eradicate Poverty Once and for All? Getting out of the Social Policy Comfort Zone: Start Taxing the Super-Rich 7 Decency for All: Universal Basic Income, Smart Universalism, Provident Funds and Primarily Taxing the Super-Rich Integrating Recent and Current Major Criticisms of Social Policy as We Know It Universal Basic Income: More Than Just the Solution to Poverty, as It is also a Remedy to Intra and Inter Cis-/Trans-Gender Inequality Acknowledging Micro-Economic and Behavioral Effects: Replacing Blind Universalism with Smart Universalism Converting Social Insurance Systems Into Provident Fund Systems (Everywhere and All of Them, Except All Accident Insurance Systems) Assets for the Poor and Near-Poor: A New Social Right Taxing the Super-Super-Rich Stop Taxing the Poor and the Near-Poor The Win-Win-Win Solution of Provident Fund Systems Decency for All Epilogue A Note to Go References