Eine europäische Arbeitslebensversicherung? Auf den Spuren des Revolutionärs Immanuel Kant

The crises of recent years have repeatedly given new impetus to labour market policy at the European level. With its initiatives for a European unemployment re-insurance scheme, a European minimum wage, a European Youth Guarantee, and – most recently – European Social Bonds the EU has become an actor in the field of labour market policy that complements or supports national activities. The Covid-19 crisis could be a window of opportunity to further develop the European Social Fund through certain elements of work-life-insurance. The aim should not only be to respond in European solidarity to cyclical or pandemic labour market crises, but also to enhance the national capacities for social protection against income risks during the whole work-life course. The innovation of this article is to argue for a work-life-insurance on the basis of Kant’s triad “freedom, equality, self-reliance”. Kant’s concept of “civic self-reliance” – instead of “solidarity” – turns out to be quite fruitful when arguing for a right to decent work based on sound legal institutions.