Martin Werding - Böcker

Redesigning the Welfare State argues that the current high level of unemployment in Germany not only creates a major challenge for the German welfare state, but is to a good extent caused by the way the country's welfare system is designed. The authors review the public debate on labour market reforms, which has been ongoing since 2002, and discuss the first set of reforms that have been enacted since then. As the reforms carried out so far fall short of what is actually needed to increase employment and economic growth in the Eurozone's largest economy, the authors introduce a proposal for a more fundamental redesign of the German welfare state. With comparative discussions of important elements of recent labour market reforms in the US, the UK and the rest of Europe, this book will appeal to all labour market researchers, and to those with an interest in applied work and policy advising in Germany. It will also appeal to decision makers and experts at international organisations and think tanks with a specialisation on Europe and Germany.

Just as one might be inclined to thinkthat every thing about demographic change has been already said and heard, a new dimension opens up. In fact, this is what makes the topic so fascinating. There is nothing trivial any longer about children, families, age, and care. Europe is undergoing profound demo graphic change. Each generation of children is quantitatively smaller than that of their parents; the propor tion of children and adolescents among the population is becoming smaller and smaller, while that of the elde rlyi s growing inexorably. Fewer and fewer people are marrying; more and more marriages are failing. Manyar eas of our society are affected by this; just think about the challenges faced by the social security systems as a result of demographic ageing. Politi cians and society are forced to adju st todem ographic change. Many people in Europe are concerned about these changes and are looking to politicians and researchers for solutions. Predictions are never easy, especially not about the future. Demographic indicators are among the safest guidelines into the unknown. Children un born today will certainly not contribute to social systems during the next years and will not pay back debt accumulated by previous generations. Not many politicians dare to negate the fact that this is about the future of our society. The media have contributed heavily to a general feeling that some thing has to be done. However, what exactly shouldbe done is widely dis puted.