Seminar paper from the year 2003 in the subject Economics - Case Scenarios, grade: 1,3 (A), University of Applied Sciences Aschaffenburg (Economy and Law), course: Social Security in Germany and Europe, language: English, abstract: IntroductionThe question of social security and proposals for solutions are often discussed in Germany. But the welfare system is not only in this country a main topic: There are proposals of reforms in many western industrial countries. In this context it is interesting to know which problems other European states have and how they try to guarantee social security. This report analyzes the social policies in the European countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. In order to limit the text to a size of 15 pages, the work is concentrated on the member states of the European Union situated next to the Mediterranean Sea. Thus 89 percent of human beings in the Mediterranean area of Europe are considered. Another focal point is the old-age insurance in France, Greece, Italy and Spain always in comparision with Germany. This part of social security was chosen because the expenditures for the old-age pension are higher than the other social contributions. A valuation model will compare the welfare systems of France, Greece, Italy, Spain and Germany in the end. The necessary criterions are presented in the following study. The demographic conditions of the countries, the level of social security, the financing of the welfare systems and the redistribution of social contributions. The fight against the poverty is considered as a central task of welfare systems. That is why redistribution is an important criterion in the valuation model.
