The wealth and welfare of nations in change

Viac o knihe

The author proposes a system of continuous social observation for the international comparison of societies, focusing on moral values in social philosophy. This results in eight performance criteria to evaluate the "welfare of nations": prosperity, environmental sustainability, innovation, social security (support during risks and investment in education), equality of participation, appreciation of diversity (including women and migrants), social integration, and autonomy (freedom of choice and capabilities). The analysis considers the impact of the world financial crisis and the subsequent recession on prosperity and welfare. The author's teaching research project began in 2004, operationalizing socially desirable goals and reporting on 28 countries, later expanding to include 43 countries. This systematic comparison is supplemented by case studies of these nations. The author does not assume a single modernization path but differentiates at least six institutional development paths, extending Esping-Andersen's "three worlds of welfare capitalism." These include the social democratic, economically liberal, status-conserving, familistic, post-socialist, and productivist paths. The analysis examines social structures post-crisis, discussing education, employment, welfare regimes, social protection, prosperity and poverty, individualization, and gender inequalities, culminating in a comparative overview of living conditions acro