Diversity and Commonality in European Social Policies: The Forging of European Social Model

Varying types of European welfare states have been analyzed in this study in order to provide an overview of currently existing national social models, as well as to highlight both their interaction and their prospects for the establishment of a European Social Model. Following Esping-Andersen's classifi cations of liberal, conservative, and social democratic models, the United Kingdom, France and Germany, and Denmark respectively have been chosen from among the old EU member states. Thus, both Bismarckian (France and Germany) and Beveridgean (Denmark and the UK) traditions are represented. Among the new member states Poland1 was included as their biggest representative. The Czech Republic serves as an example of an early-industrialized country, today experiencing very successful egalitarian welfare state development. Estonia, representing the former Soviet republics among the new member states, has relied on comparatively liberal market ideals since 1990. Our analysis shows that all the states we have examined in this crosssection are struggling with similar social problems of differing magnitude, only gradually arriving at common policy solutions