Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
CUDES 2023 14. INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON CURRENT DEBATES IN SOCIAL SCIENCES, Tbilisi, Gürcistan, 11 - 12 Ekim 2023, ss.33
This study explores the theoretical and practical evolution of welfare states, focusing on the transition from expansionary welfare policies during 1955-1970 to the contractionary trends observed post-1980. With an emphasis on the last two decades, it examines the classification of welfare regimes, identifying their quantitative dimensions—such as the share of social expenditures in national income—and qualitative aspects, including the scope and beneficiaries of social programs. The core inquiry revolves around the conditions necessitating the retrenchment of welfare states versus those enabling their growth. It investigates whether these dynamics stem from national socio-economic forces or broader systemic requirements of capitalism. Additionally, the research questions whether welfare states are intrinsic to capitalism, adapting to its evolving needs and contradictions, or serve as regulatory frameworks responding to the socio-political demands of specific historical contexts. Highlighting the contradictions inherent in welfare states, the study posits that they are simultaneously tools for enhancing societal well-being and mechanisms for maintaining capitalist structures. By addressing the dual role of welfare states in mitigating market-induced risks and reinforcing social stratification, the research contributes to the understanding of their complex nature as both market-dependent and market-altering entities. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this work focuses on the specificities of welfare states within developed capitalist contexts, with particular attention to Western Europe and Turkey. The findings aim to fill a significant gap in the Turkish literature, offering a comprehensive framework for analyzing the interplay between welfare states, capitalism, and social policy