Social Europe

Social scientist Josef Weidenholzer still hopes that Europe's social model can be saved. He says northern European social models could serve as an example for Europe as a whole. Typical for these universalistic welfare states is "a large volume of government transfer fee payments and each government giving top priority to employment policy, in addition to the strong role of the State. Owing to its delayed industrialisation, southern Europe has failed to develop specific social welfare systems, while eastern Europe is still coping with the problems arising from its transition to a free market economy... A European social model that really deserves the name would guarantee prosperity and competitiveness, prevent social division by safeguarding basic social rights, and help to reinforce the concept of Europe in the minds of Europe's citizens."

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