Social Policy in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in 1990s

Authors

  • János Hoós Budapesti Közgazdaságtudományi és Államigazgatási Egyetem

Keywords:

Social policy, Central and Eastern Europe

Abstract

One of the major accomplishments of the socialist systems of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) was the relatively equal distribution
of income they attained. The social policy was characterized by “cradle-to-grave” state paternalism. The transition to market
economy is virtually certain to lead to higher unemployment and some what greater income inequality. There were four interrelated
social policy problems during the transformation of (CEE) : a. the employment problem for citizens to find secure and durable
employment and income; b. the business problem, where firms can no longer rely on soft budget constrains and thus must abundant
their direct social welfare functions; c. the budget problem of unburdening the state from price subsidies, which means rising
consumer prices and declining real incomes and; d. the labour market problem resulting from privatization and the need for the
developing new and specialized social policy institutions This required the reform of social policy: a redefinition of the social safety
net, in essence an “unbundling” of the economic and social roles previously assigned to enterprises.
This reforms had to extend to comprehensive transformation of the large distribution systems (pension, health, education, housing,
social benefits), reduction of social benefits according to the need and partially providing services in the market economy. There was
consensus in CEE that the reform due to their inner shortcomings and to condition of their economy is unavoidable and
indispensable. But the success of the reform needed proper concept of it and addition to this the success of it depended on starting up
of the sustainable economic growth of their economy. The concept of reforms is rather well developed and commonly accepted in every
countries of CEE, but the implementation of it is in very different stage. Therefore first we outline the concept of the reforms and
after that we present what has welfare, social policy reform achieved.

References

A. H. GELB and C.W. GRAY (1991) The transformation of Economies in Central and Eastern Europe, World Bank. Washington

C. OFFE (1992) The Politics of Social policy in Eastern European Transformation, Seminar Paper No. 12, Cracow Academy of Economics From Plan to Market. World Bank Report (1996) Oxford University Press. USA

HOÓS J.-HÔGYE M (2000) Gazdaságpolitika, Nyugatmagyarországi Egyetem. Sopron

HOÓS J (2002) A közösségi döntési rendszer, AULA, Budapest, Hungary.

Structural Reform for Sustainable Growth. A World Bank Country Study (1995), The World Bank, Washington, D.C.

J. CAMPELL (1992) The Fiscal Crisis of Post-Communist States, Telos

J. HOÓS (1997) “Emergence of Social Insurance Funds in Central and East Europe: Fiscal, Political and Social Aspects”

Country Report: Hungary, Journal of Transforming Economies and Societies. (EMERGO). Spring 1997. pp. 54-68

J. HOÓS Housing Policy: Its contradictions and Possibilities for Its Improvement in Hungary. Public Administration in Transition, Edited by Jak Jabes & Mirko Vinter. NISPAsee. Third Annual Conference Held in Bled, Slovenia, March 23- 25, 1995. p. 375-381.

Transitional report 1997, European Bank

V. PESTOFF (1995) Reforming Social Services in Central and Eastern Europe – An Eleven Nation Overview, Cracow Academy of Economics

V. ROXIN-J. HOÓS (1995) Social services in eleven central and east European Countries – comparative aspects. V. Pestoff: Reforming Social Services in Central and Eastern Europe – An Eleven Nation Overview, Cracow Academy of Economics. 1995. pp.318.

Downloads

Published

2004-02-24

How to Cite

Hoós, J. (2004). Social Policy in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) in 1990s. Theory, Methodology, Practice – Review of Business and Management, 2(01), 17–24. Retrieved from https://ojs.uni-miskolc.hu/index.php/tmp/article/view/1306

Issue

Section

Articles