As a first step, the author discusses the long-term development of the Italian Welfare state and argues that the Italian social protection system reflex a complex mix of privileges and inequities not to be found to this extent in continental Europe. Moreover, by considering the functional distribution of social expenditure in a comparative perspective, Italy witnesses a clear bias in favour of pension benefits. Building on this premise, the central part of the essay addresses the social measures passed over the last decade and contrasts them with the strategies pursued by the technocratic governments which came to power following the collapse of the so-called First Republic in 1992. According to the author, in spite of changes in political majority, no structural reform was introduced in the Italian Welfare system to meet new social needs: neither the centre-right coalition in power between 2001 and 2006 not the subsequent centre-left majority continued along the virtuous path inaugurated during the first part of the 1990s. The evidence presented challenges the ‘learning perspective’ and the external pressure hypothesis in the academic literature on the Italian welfare state: rather than a turning point, the reforms of the early 1990s were the result of a fortunate policy window which soon closed. As parties regained power, Italy slipped back to largely ideological and interest-based politics with the negative addition of having a party system largely unrepresentative of the younger generations.

Italy: Still a Pension State? / V.Fargion. - STAMPA. - (2009), pp. 171-189.

Italy: Still a Pension State?

FARGION, VALERIA
2009

Abstract

As a first step, the author discusses the long-term development of the Italian Welfare state and argues that the Italian social protection system reflex a complex mix of privileges and inequities not to be found to this extent in continental Europe. Moreover, by considering the functional distribution of social expenditure in a comparative perspective, Italy witnesses a clear bias in favour of pension benefits. Building on this premise, the central part of the essay addresses the social measures passed over the last decade and contrasts them with the strategies pursued by the technocratic governments which came to power following the collapse of the so-called First Republic in 1992. According to the author, in spite of changes in political majority, no structural reform was introduced in the Italian Welfare system to meet new social needs: neither the centre-right coalition in power between 2001 and 2006 not the subsequent centre-left majority continued along the virtuous path inaugurated during the first part of the 1990s. The evidence presented challenges the ‘learning perspective’ and the external pressure hypothesis in the academic literature on the Italian welfare state: rather than a turning point, the reforms of the early 1990s were the result of a fortunate policy window which soon closed. As parties regained power, Italy slipped back to largely ideological and interest-based politics with the negative addition of having a party system largely unrepresentative of the younger generations.
2009
9780333748664
International Social Policy. Welfare Regimes in the Developed World
171
189
V.Fargion
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Utilizza questo identificatore per citare o creare un link a questa risorsa: https://hdl.handle.net/2158/359672
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