The social acceptance of the welfare state. A review of literature and a new perspective

Authors
Citation
Cg. Ullrich, The social acceptance of the welfare state. A review of literature and a new perspective, SOZ WELT, 51(2), 2000, pp. 131
Citations number
85
Categorie Soggetti
Sociology & Antropology
Journal title
SOZIALE WELT-ZEITSCHRIFT FUR SOZIALWISSENSCHAFTLICHE FORSCHUNG UND PRAXIS
ISSN journal
00386073 → ACNP
Volume
51
Issue
2
Year of publication
2000
Database
ISI
SICI code
0038-6073(2000)51:2<131:TSAOTW>2.0.ZU;2-F
Abstract
For a long time the social acceptance and public support of the welfare sta te has been a major concern in theoretical debates and empirical research. This article reviews empirical research on the public support of the welfar e state. The results of national and comparative research have corroborated an overwhelmingly high and stable support for the key institutions of the welfare state. However, some of the findings are quite contradictory while others are questionable from a methodological point of view. For example, i t remains an unanswered question how the continuously high level of public support of the welfare state can be explained. Moreover, it is doubtful whe ther there is really such a high degree of public acceptance. In particular , the various ways in which the dependent (acceptance) and independent vari ables (self-interest, value orientations) are operationalised is open to ch allenge. This article shows how some of these deficiencies can be overcome.