Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-25T19:44:27.506Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Familistic welfare capitalism in crisis: social reproduction and anti-social policy in Greece

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2020

Theodoros Papadopoulos  and
Antonios Roumpakis
Theodoros Papadopoulos
Affiliation:
Social and Policy Sciences, University of Bath, Claverton Dowrn, The Avenue, 3East, BathBA2 7AY, UK
Antonios Roumpakis*
Affiliation:
Social Policy and Social Work, University of York, Helsington, YorkYO10 5DD, UK
*
*Corresponding author. Email: antonios.roumpakis@york.ac.uk
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Familistic welfare capitalism is a model of national political economy prevalent in many regions in the world (Southern Europe, Latin America, and Asia), where the family plays a double role as the key provider of welfare and a key agent in the model's socio-economic and political reproduction. The article offers a new approach to the study this model by adopting an expanded concept of social reproduction to capture its historical evolution, using Greece as a case study. Our empirical analysis of austerity measures on employment and pensions demonstrates, how, in the Greek case, a crisis of social reproduction of the traditional form of familistic welfare capitalism was already underway prior to the well-known sovereign-debt crisis. And further we show how the adoption of austerity measures and pro-market reforms is deepening this crisis by severely undermining the key pillars of familial welfare security while rapidly transforming the model into a political economy of generalised insecurity.

Keywords

familistic welfare capitalismanti-social policyrecommodificationsocial reproductionSouthern EuropeGreece
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy , Volume 29 , Issue 3 , October 2013 , pp. 204 - 224
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 Taylor & Francis

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abrhamson, P. (1999). The welfare modelling business. Social Policy and Administration, 33(4), 394–415.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allan, J., & Scruggs, L. (2004). Political partisanship and welfare state reform in advanced industrial societies. American Journal of Political Science, 48(3), 496–512.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Allen, J., Barlow, J., Leal, J., Maloutas, T., & Padovani, L. (2004). Housing & welfare in Southern Europe. Oxford: Blackwell.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Andreotti, A., Garcia, S. M., Gomez, A., Hespahna, P., Kazepov, Y., & Mingione, E. (2001). Does a Southern European model exist? Journal of European Area Studies, 9(1), 43–62.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arts, W. A., & Gelissen, J. (2002). Three worlds of welfare capitalism or more? A state-of-the-art report. Journal of European Social Policy, 12, 137–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Avgi Newspaper. (2012, April 4). 7 out of 10 households can't make it, 4 April 2012. Retrieved November 30, 2012, from http://www.avgi.gr/ArticleActionshow.action?articleID=703213Google Scholar
Bakker, I., & Silvey, R. (Eds.). (2008). Beyond states and markets: The challenges of social reproduction. Abingdon: Routledge.Google Scholar
BBC. (2013). Greece unemployment hits highest rate in European Union, 10 January. Retrieved from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-20968845Google Scholar
Bonoli, G. (1997). Classifying welfare states: A two-dimension approach. Journal of Social Policy, 26(3), 351–372.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brissimis, S. N., Garganas, E. N., & Hall, S. G. (2012). Consumer credit in an era of financial liberalisation: An overreaction to repressed demand? Working Paper, 148. Retrieved from http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/41819/3/MPRA_paper_41819.pdfGoogle Scholar
Cahnman, W. J., & Schmitt, C. M. (1979). The concept of social policy (Sozialpolitik). Journal of Social Policy, 8, 47–59.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Castles, F. (Ed.). (1993). Families of nations: Patterns of public policy in western democracies. Aldershot: Dartmouth.Google Scholar
Cofidis. (2006). Consumer Credit in Europe in 2004, Le Cadran de Cofidis, Briefing Memo 22. Retrieved from http://www.cofidis.com/uploaded/cofidis-1/d3m7y2006h11m11s9m373.pdfGoogle Scholar
Cofidis. (2007). Consumer Credit in Europe in 2006, Le Cadran de Cofidis, Briefing Memo 26. Retrieved from http://www.cofidis.com/uploaded/cofidis-1/d27m11y2007h11m11s56m127.pdfGoogle Scholar
Esping-Andersen, G. (1987). Citizenship and socialism: De-commodification and solidarity in the welfare state. In Rein, M., Rainwater, L., & Esping-Andersen, G. (Eds.), Stagnation and renewal in social policy: The rise and fall of policy regimes (pp. 78–101). London: M.E.Sharpe.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The three worlds of welfare capitalism. Cambridge: Polity Press.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, G. (1999). Social foundations of post-industrial economies. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
European Commission. (2013). European economic forecast winter 2013. European Commission. Retrieved from http://ec.europa.eu/economy_finance/publications/european_economy/2013/pdf/ee1_en.pdfGoogle Scholar
Eurostat. (2012). Unemployment statistics. Retrieved February 28, 2013, from http://appsso.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/nui/submitViewTableAction.doGoogle Scholar
Eurostat. (2013). People at risk of poverty or social exclusion (Europe 2020 strategy). Retrieved October, 30, 2013, from http://epp.eurostat.ec.europa.eu/portal/page/portal/statistics/search_databaseGoogle Scholar
Fawcett, H., & Papadopoulos, T. (1997). Social exclusion, social citizenship and decommodification: An evaluation of the adequacy of support for the unemployed in the European Union. West European Politics, 20(3), 248–280.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferrera, M. (1996). The ‘Southern model’ of welfare in Europe. Journal of European Social Policy, 6(1), 17–37.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ferrera, M. (2010). Democratization and social policy in Southern Europe: From expansion to ‘Recalibration’. In Bangura, Y. (Ed.), Democracy and social policy (pp. 90–113). Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Fotopoulos, T. (1986). Εξαρτημϵνη Ανάπτυξη: Η πϵρίπτωση της Ελλάδας [Dependent development: The case of Greece]. Athens: Exantas Press.Google Scholar
Fraser, N. (2013). The fortunes of Feminism: From women's liberation to identity politics to anti-capitalism. London and Brooklyn: Verso.Google Scholar
Gazette of Greek Government. (2010a). Νόμος 3863: Βασικές συνταξιοδοτικές ρυθμίσϵις [Law 3863: Basic Pension Regulations]. Athens: Gazzete of Greek Government. Retrieved from http://www.poeota.gr/_download/N.3863-2010.pdfGoogle Scholar
Gazette of Greek Government. (2010b). Νόμος 3865: Βασικές συνταξιοδοτικές ρυθμίσϵις [Law 3865: Basic Pension Regulations]. Athens: Gazzete of Greek Government. Retrieved from http://esos.gr/uploads/misthol-syntaxiod/3865–2010.pdfGoogle Scholar
Gonzalez, A. G. (2002). Entrepreneurial activation: The Spanish capitalisation of unemployment benefit programme. In Rerkel, R. & H. Moller, I. (Eds.), Active social policies in the E (pp. 157–177). Bristol: Policy Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gough, I. (1996). Social assistance in Southern Europe. South European Society& Politics, 1(1), 1–23.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Greek Statistical Bureau (ELSTAT). (2012). Έρϵυνα ϵισοδήματος και συνθηκών διαβίωσης των νοικοκυριών 2011 [Household income and living conditions research in 2011]. Athens: Greek Statistical Bureau (ELSTAT). Retrieved from http://www.statistics.gr/portal/page/portal/ESYE/BUCKET/A0802/PressReleases/A0802_SFA10_DT_AN_00_2011_08_F_GR.pdfGoogle Scholar
Haggard, S., & Kaufman, R. R. (2008). Development, democracy, and welfare states: Latin America, East Asia, and Eastern Europe. Princeton and Oxford: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Hall, P. A., & Soskise, D. (Eds.). (2001). Varieties of capitalism: The institutional foundations of comparative advantage. Oxford: Oxford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hellenic Labour Inspectorat (SEPE). (2012). Έκθϵση Πϵπραγμένων Σ.ΕΠ.Ε για 2011 [Report of SEPE activities for 2011]. Athens: Hellenic Labour Inspectorate (SEPE). Retrieved from www.iatrikiergasias.gr/upload/file/EkthesiPepragmenwnSEPE2011.pdfGoogle Scholar
Institute of Small Enterprises. (2011). Στατιστικα στοιχϵία για Μικρές και Μϵσαίϵς Επιχϵιρήσϵις στην Ελλάδα [Statistical data on small and medium-sized companies in Greece]. Athens: Institute of Small Enterprises. Retrieved from http://www.imegsevee.gr/Google Scholar
Jessop, B. (2002). The future of the capitalist state. Cambridge: Polity Press.Google Scholar
Kapp, K. W. (1950). The social costs of private enterprise. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.Google Scholar
Karamessini, M. (2007). The Southern European social model: Changes and continuities in recent decades. Geneva: International Institutte for Labour Studies (ILO).Google Scholar
Karamessini, M. (2008). Continuity and change in the southern European social model. International Labour Review, 147(1), 43–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Karantinos, D. (2006). European Employment Observatory Contribution to the EEO Autumn Review 2006 ‘Flexicurity’: National Centre of Social Research (EKKE). Retrieved from http://www.eu-employment-observatory.net/resources/reviews/Greece-FlexicurityAR06.pdfGoogle Scholar
Katrougalos, G. (1996). The South European welfare model: The Greek welfare state, in search of an identity. Journal of European Social Policy, 6(1), 39–60.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Katrougalos, G., & Lazarides, G. (2003). Southern European welfare states: Problems, challenges and prospects. London: Palgrave Macmillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kohli, M., & Albertini, M. (2008). The family as a source of support for adult children's own family projects: European varieties. In Saraceno, C. (Ed.), Families, ageing and social policy: Intergenerational solidarity in European welfare states (pp. 38–58). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.Google Scholar
Kopsini, C. (2012, November 2). Ελάχιστο Εγγυημένο Εισόδημα Για Ανέργους [Minimum guaranteed income for the unemployed]. Kathimerini (Newspaper). Retrieved from http://news.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_economy_2_02/11/2012_500351Google Scholar
Korpi, W., & Palme, J. (2003). New politics and class politics in the context of austerity and globalization: Welfare state regress in 18 countries, 1975–95. American Political Science Review, 97(3), 425–446.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lapavitsas, C., Kaltenbrunner, A., Lambrinidis, G., Lindo, D., Meadway, J., Michell, J., … Teles, N. (2010). The Eurozone between austerity and default (RMF Occasional report). Retrieved from http://www.researchonmoneyandfinance.org/media/reports/RMF-Eurozone-Austerity-and-Default.pdfGoogle Scholar
Lewis, J. (1997). Gender and welfare regimes: Some further thoughts. Social Politics, 4, 160–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marinakou, M. (1997). ‘Latin-Rim’ or semipheripheral welfare states? The case of Greece. In Sykes, R. & Alcock, P. (Eds.), Developments in European social policy: Convergence and diversity (pp. 231–248). Bristol: The Policy Press.Google Scholar
Markopoulos, D. (2011, October 27). Σοκ στην ασϕαλιστική αγορά ϕέρνϵι το κούρϵμα του 50% [The 50% haircut ‘shocks’ the insurance market]. Proto Thema (Newspaper). Retrieved from http://www.protothema.gr/economy/article/?aid=154959Google Scholar
McKinsey. (2012). Debt and deleveraging: Uneven progress on the path to growth. McKinsey Global Institute. Retrieved from http://www.mckinsey.com/insights/global_capital_markets/uneven_progress_on_the_path_to_growthGoogle Scholar
Megas, C. (2010, May 12). Ο διπλός ακρωτηριασμός των συντάξϵων [The double amputation of pensions]. Eleftherotypia (Newspaper). Retrievied from http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.article&id=161262Google Scholar
Mingione, E. (1995). Labour market segmentation and informal work in Southern Europe. European Urban and Regional Studies, 2(2), 121–143.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mingione, E. (2001). Labour market segmentation and informal work. In Gibson, H. (Ed.), Economic transformation, democratization and integration into the European Union: Southern Europe in comparative perspective (pp. 149–192). Gordonsville: Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Ministry of Finance. (2011). Επϵίγοντα Μέτρα Εϕαρμογής Μϵσοπρόθϵσμου Πλαισίου Δημοσιονομικής Στρατηγικής 2012–2015 [Law 3986/2011: Urgent application measures of mid-term fiscal strategy framework, 2012–2015]. Athens: Greek Ministry of Finance. Retrieved from http://www.taxheaven.gr/laws/law/index/law/328Google Scholar
Moreno, L. (2006). The model of social protection in Southern Europe: Enduring characteristics? Revue francaise des affaires sociales, 5, 73–95.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Naldini, M. (2003). The family in the Mediterranena Welfare States. London: Routledge.Google Scholar
National Bank of Greece. (2008). Δανϵισμός και χρηματοοικονομική πίϵση στα νοικοκυριά: Αποτϵλέσματα από τη δϵιγματοληπτική έρϵυνα του 2007[Loans and financial pressure on households: Results from the sample research of 2007]. Athens: National Bank of Greece. Retrieved from http://www.bankofgreece.gr/Pages/el/Bank/News/PressReleases/DispItem.aspx?Item_ID=2104&List_ID=1af869f3-57fb-4de6-b9ae-bdfd83c66c95&Filter_by=DTGoogle Scholar
OECDStat. (2012). Statistics. Retrieved February 28, 2013 from http://stats.oecd.org/index.aspx?r=866076Google Scholar
Offe, C. (1984). Contradictions of the Welfare State. London: Hutchinson Education.Google Scholar
Papadopoulos, T. (1997). Social insurance and the crisis of statism in Greece. In Clasen, J. (Ed.), Social Insurance in Europe (pp. 177–203). Bristol: The Policy Press.Google Scholar
Papadopoulos, T. (2005). The recommodification of European Labour: Theoretical and empirical explorations (ERI working papers: European Research Institute – University of Bath). Retrieved from people.bath.ac.uk/hsstp/TP…/ERI-working-paper-05-03-final.pdfGoogle Scholar
Papadopoulos, T. (2006). Support for the unemployed in a familistic welfare regime. In Mossialos, E. & Petmesidou, Μ. (Eds.), Social policy developments in Greece (pp. 219–238). Aldershot: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Papadopoulos, T., & Roumpakis, A. (2009). Familistic welfare capitalism in crisis: The case of Greece. European Research Institute – University of Bath. Retrieved from http://www2.lse.ac.uk/europeanInstitute/research/hellenicObservatory/pdf/4th_%20Symposium/PAPERS_PPS/WELFARE_STATE/ROUMPAKIS.pdfGoogle Scholar
Papadopoulos, T., & Roumpakis, A. (2012). The Greek welfare state in the age of austerity: Anti-social policy and the politico-economic crisis. In Kilkey, M., Ramia, G., & Farnsworth, K. (Eds.), Social policy review (Vol. 24, pp. 205–230). Bristol: Policy Press.Google Scholar
Pefanis, D. (2012, August 11). Σχέδιο τρόικας για 100.000 σπίτια στο σϕυρί [Troika plan to get 100.000 houses under the hammer]. Ta Nea (Newspaper). Retrieved from ://www.tanea.gr/oikonomia/article/?aid=4744549Google Scholar
Petmesidou, M. (1991). Statism, social policy and the middle classes in Greece. Journal of European Social Policy, 1(1), 31–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Petmesidou, M. (1996). Social protection in Southern Europe: Trends and prospects. Journal of Area Studies, 9, 95–125.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Petmesidou, M. (2013). Is social protection in Greece at acrossroads? European Societies, 15(4), 597–616.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Petmesidou, M., & Mossialos, E. (2006). Social policy developments in Greece. Aldershot: Ashgate.Google Scholar
Poggio, T. (2008). The intergenerational transmission of home ownership and the reproduction of the familialistic welfare regime. In Saraceno, C. (Ed.), Families, ageing and social policy: Intergenerational solidarity in European Welfare States (pp. 59–87). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.Google Scholar
Polanyi, K. ([1957]2001). The great transformation: The political and economical origins of our time. Boston: Beacon Press.Google Scholar
Rangone, M., & Solari, S. (2012). Southern European capitlaism and the social costs of business enterprise. Studi e Note di Economia, AnnoXVII (1–2012), 3–28.Google Scholar
Research Institute of General Greek Trade Union (INE-GSEE). (2008). Η ϵλληνικη οικονομία και η απασχόληση [The Greek economy and employment]. Athens: Research Institute of General Greek Trade Union (INE-GSEE). Retrieved from http://www.inegsee.gr/sitefiles/files/EKTHESI_10.pdfGoogle Scholar
Research Institute of General Greek Trade Union (INE-GSEE). (2011). Η ϵλληνικη οικονομία και η απασχόληση [The Greek economy and employment]. Athens: INE-GSEE. Retrieved from http://www.inegsee.gr/sitefiles/files/EKTHESH_13.pdfGoogle Scholar
Rothermund, M. (2008). Consumer credit in Europe 1995–2007. European Credit Research Institute (ECRI) at Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS). Retrieved from http://www.ceps.eu/book/consumer-credit-europe-1995-2007-pdf-onlyGoogle Scholar
Roumpakis, A. (2009). From ‘democratisation’ to ‘marketisation’ of pension rights: A historical comparative study on three European pension systems (Phd thesis). University of Bath, Bath, UK.Google Scholar
Swaney, J. A., & Evers, M. A. (1989). The social cost concepts of K. William Kapp and Karl Polanyi. Journal of Economic Issues, 23(1), 7–33.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Symeonidou, H. (1996). Social protection in contemporary Greece. Southern European Society and Politics, 1(3), 67–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tsipouras, D. (2012). Καταιγίδα κατασχέσϵων για κατοικίϵς απο το 2013 [Storm of foreclosures in real estate from 2013]. Avgi (Newspaper). Retrieved from http://pyrgos-news.blogspot.com/2012/02/750000-2013.htmlGoogle Scholar
Venieris, D. (2011). Κρίση Οικονομίας, Απορρύθμιση Κοινωνωικής Πολιτικής: Η Νέα «Μικροϵλληνική Καταταστροϕή» 2010–11 [Economic crisis, social policy deregulation: The new “Minor Greek Disaster” 2010–2011]. Επιθϵώρηση Κοινωνικών Ερϵυνών [Social Sciences Review], 134–135, (A-B), 100–131. Retrieved from http://www.grsr.gr/pdf/134_135_101-131.pdfGoogle Scholar
Wilensky, H. (1975). The welfare state and equality. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.Google Scholar