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Social Security and Poverty Reduction in Rich Welfare States: Cracks in the Post War Policy Paradigm, Avenues for the Future

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  • Bea Cantillon

Abstract

Has the most powerful poverty reducing instrument at welfare state’s disposal, become less effective? And if so, why? This paper will argue that there are no unequivocal answers to these questions. For that matter, differences across rich welfare states are far too big. However, we posit that along with the great variation in national experiences, changes in family, employment and wage structures have affected the poverty reducing capacity of social security at a systemic level. As a consequence, although retrenchment has certainly not been the general rule, in many countries poverty among households that are most dependent on social protection increased significantly. This raises the question of how progress can be made in a future that looks bleaker than the past.

Suggested Citation

  • Bea Cantillon, 2018. "Social Security and Poverty Reduction in Rich Welfare States: Cracks in the Post War Policy Paradigm, Avenues for the Future," Working Papers 1817, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    • Handle: RePEc:hdl:wpaper:1817
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Bea Cantillon & Zachary Parolin & Diego Collado, 2018. "Rising Inequalities and Welfare Generosity: Structural Constraints on the Adequacy of Minimum Incomes in European and American Welfare States," Working Papers 1809, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    2. Lane Kenworthy & Jonas Pontusson, 2005. "Rising Inequality and the Politics of Redistribution in Affluent Countries," LIS Working papers 400, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    3. Bea Cantillon & Diego Collado & Natascha Van Mechelen, 2015. "The end of decent social protection for the poor? The dynamics of low wages, minimum income packages and median household incomes," ImPRovE Working Papers 15/03, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    4. Bea Cantillon & Diego Collado & Natascha Van Mechelen, 2015. "The end of decent social protection for the poor? The dynamics of low wages, minimum income packages and median household incomes," Working Papers 1501, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
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    Cited by:

    1. Johanna Greiss & Bea Cantillon & Sarah Marchal & Tess Penne, 2019. "Europe as agent that fills the gaps? The case of FEAD," Working Papers 1903, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    2. Gabriele Mariani; & Bea Cantillon;, 2025. "The evolution of relative income poverty in Belgium (1985 - 2021): comparing income poverty indicators across socio-economic groups," Working Papers 2506, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, University of Antwerp.
    3. Koen Caminada & Jinxian Wang & Kees Goudswaard & Chen Wang, 2019. "Relative Income Poverty Rates and Poverty Alleviation via Tax/benefit Systems in 49 LIS-Countries, 1967-2016," LIS Working papers 761, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.

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