The diversity of social protection in Europe and Europeanization/ la diversità della protezione...
description
Transcript of The diversity of social protection in Europe and Europeanization/ la diversità della protezione...
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
1
The diversity of social protection in Europe and Europeanization/ la diversità della protezione sociale in Europa e l’europeanizazzione
Jean-Claude BarbierUniversité Paris 1 Panthéon SorbonneLecture, Università di Milano-Biccoca26 Maggio 2009
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
2
Outline
Epistemological and methological dimensions and pre-requisites
What is convergence, what is diversity, what is ‘Europeanization’?
The diversity of social protection systems in the literature
‘Social Europe’ and some relevant features of social protection
Conclusions about diversity and Europeanization
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
3
I - Epistemological and methological posture
1 – Common obstacles
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
4
Five reasons for social scientists to overestimate the influence of ‘Europe’
1 Passion/Utopia 2 Capture by actors 3 Mischievous couple:
nationalism/post-nationalism
4 Mixing levels of abstraction: diversity as a blind spot
5 ‘Economicism’
a common lack of significant/adequateempirical data:
ex: Ulrich Beck –”zombie science” (rejection of
methodological nationalism)
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
5
2 - Pre-requisites
Universalism and relativism Objectivity and value-judgments
control (Wertfreiheit) Attention to language Attention to categories
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
6
Universalism and relativistic culturalism, parrochialismo
Universalism: +/- radical/moderate Culturalism; relativism – cognitive/
cultural; particularism… => the solution is in distinguishing
levels of abstraction (scale di astrazione, Sartori)
From particularistic universalisms to universalistic particularism (Hyman)
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
7
Scale di astrazione
reduction/abstraction• what is universal• ”local” universal (ex: Europe)• families, ”clusters”, ”elementary forms”
[poverty: Paugam]• what is national specific/singular• Etc….The epistemological debate, distant from
extremes is relatively settled
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
8
Objectivity and value-judgments control (Wertfreiheit)
The distinction between analysis and judgment
Autonomy from politics
Wertbeziehung – the researcher’s value orientation/bias
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
9
Attention to language and concepts
G. Sartori, « La comparazione nelle scienze sociali », 1991
What is comparable? « Mele e pere? »
« Il can-gatto »: « vacche griggie »
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
10
Esempio di can-gatti e vacche grige: « workfare »
Workfare= the « work obligation » – USA; 1996 TANF (ex-AFDC);
« RMI » and « insertion » as workfare
Danish « aktivering » as workfare Workfare a l’italiana? http://www.laviedesidees.fr/Pour-un-
bilan-du-workfare-et-de-l.html
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
11
Attention to concepts/notions
Ex: la parola « attivazione » Cf. Rivista delle Politiche sociali,
Gennaio-Marzo, 2005
Political discourse sociology
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
12
II - What is convergence, what is diversity, what is ‘Europeanization’?
Convergence= objects (policies, politics, instruments, parties, programmes, etc..) become the same [convergence of what and where to?]
[going in the same direction is not converging: parallel but different, ex/ religious values in Europe]
Diversity: at a certain level of abstraction, differences (national, sub-national, etc.)
Europeanization: a process that tends to render objects (..) similar and pertaining to the collective construction of a « Europeanized » type (as opposed to..); poltics/policies defined, etc. at the EU-level; socialisation of elites..
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
13
III - The diversity of social protection systems (1)
The classical approach: regimes of welfare capitalism and varieties of capitalism: a progress vis-à-vis the past
The many limits of the welfare regimes « industry »:
-number of types (the Southern model;.)-ideal-types as static and deterministic
classifications-the problem of many hybrids (the
Netherlands, Switzerland, France..)
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
14
The diversity of social protection systems (2)
there is always some singularity unexplained
Singularity is national or sub-national (regional..)
Singularity is linked to political cultures
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
15
The diversity of social protection systems (3)
There is no convergence of systems There is limited Europeanization « ideas » are Europeanized: the
Open methods of coordination = cognitive coordination
« substance » remains national: ex: amortizzatori sociali in Italia/pension funds in France and Germany/ generous social protection in Sweden..as opposed to the UK
=> coordinating national diversity
16
A sociological question: why does diversity persist?
Why, despite (1) far-reaching socialisation of European élites, and variegated Europeanisation
(2)The existence of a de facto ‘European government’ (Andy Smith)
(3) « die post-nationale Konstellation » (Habermas)
The ‘social dimension’ has gone so slowly?
17
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
18
Content of the book
1 social protection, a major element of politics in Europe has remained/will remain, national (cf. M. Ferrera 2005)
2 important but modest EU intervention (economic and legal rules)
3 sociology can explain diversity in Europe, which economics cannot (generally) =>political communities are closed by language and the frontiers of solidarity
5 future (?) the importance of investing in languages, cultures and humanities
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
19
IV- Looking for the actual ‘social Europe’: how does it work
Social Europe= the EU layer + 27 systems, so many families and clusters
Policies and politics/ the legal order Sketching the main periods of a
very limited achievement
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
20
The legal order and negative integration
An integrated legal order (invented by the ECJ)
Distribution of competences: social matters/economic freedoms
Negative integration (Scharpf, 1999)
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
21
Important but modest progress
General framework: 3 dimensions matter
- economic objectives from the start - asymmetry of the legal
sources/competences (social rights/economic freedoms)
- the pervasive and increasing role of the ECJ [Legitimation ?]
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
22
Mapping out milestones
Before 1992Before 1992 The European Court case-law influence in the
background [four economic freedoms]. social ‘programmes’: coordination of social
security, and health and safety regulations From 1992From 1992 SAMAK and J. DelorsAmsterdam treaty and Lisbon summit (1997-2000):
=> OMCs of various hues: the golden age 2004-20082004-2008 turning points + the Irish No What now? 2009-2010What now? 2009-2010
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
23
Small progress ahead (business as usual..bar the financial crisis ?)
EU-wide Minimum wage Increasing social solidarity through
articulating better fiscal policies (‘the economic government of Europe’ , the Party of European Socialists’ programme and the French presidency..)
‘Minimum’ directives= minimum rights, including in education (basic education)
A new ‘push’ for social Europe (declaration by 9 countries, Feb, 7, 2007) [Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Spain, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Cyprus and Hungary]
And so on…
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
24
EU social programmes: policies/politics at the EU level Policies of a special type: - no ‘implementation’ - no funding - no direct beneficiaries/victims
Politics of a special type: - no electorate - competition between member states - left/right divide is masked: surface
general interest
Politicization increasing since the referendums in 2005 and 2008
‘cognitive’ policies: crafting and communicating ‘ideas’
surface de-politicization [« La Commission est politique mais
elle n’est pas partisane », J.M. Barroso, interview 20 May 2009]
European Parliament + national politicization of EU issues
(ex: Services directive)
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
25
At the national level, the triangle of ‘political culture’
The resilience/ persistence of national political cultures explain why ‘social Europe’ is limited
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
26
The language of politics and social justice
practices institutions
« values »Within each polity/nation A non-culturalist
approach of political culture
Outside influences (national, global)
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
27
Political cultures are closed, foster bonds and ‘speak’ one language
Following on F. Scharpf, and M. Ferrera, and B. Rothstein
The absence of a European polity => the impossibility of social justice discussion at the EU level
Surface Europeanisation/Language problems and ‘welfare Populism’
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
28
Key characteristics of the ‘closure’ for social protection [il welfare]
Una nazione sociologica
Identification processes [vs. essentialist identities] Citizen’s participation and reciprocity (political and
moral logic) National law and territory (boundaries M. Ferrera) Language
Elements impossible to bypass Yet, closure is relative and certainly
not essentialist/ethnic
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
29
Political cultures are close but closed
So many countries, so many polities
The variety of fundamental values is limited (common values, H.-P. Müller)
No EU-level political culture
No EU-level polity [emerging?]
« Ultimate » politics, « politicized » politics are national: 27 distinct and « messy » processes; 27 political cycles, etc.
National politics: invisible from « Brussels »
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
30
V – 1 Normative conclusions: social Europe needs investing in culture
Invest in time Downplay post-national utopias
(Habermas: Verfassungspatriotismus + basic minimum income)
Learn from federalist states (Canada)
Use exogenous shocks
« Invent a new democratic system » (Y. Meny)
multilingualism
Devise genuine EU-level cultural policies
Contribute to the gradual building of a European political community [including the judiciary]
Teach citizens [children, the young] the benefits of diversity and European common values = universal access to moral education, history, languages and humanities
Priority to the disadvantaged sections in unequal countries= the ever lurking and looming threat of populism
Barbier CNRS Université Paris1 Panthéon Sorbonne
31
V-2 Conclusions: three scenarios
1 – Gradual degradation of the Eu-level system
2 – within 10 years, restarting more integration in the social domain
3 – Europe as a single market (vs. political project)