Leiden University Student Repository

Takow, C. (2014)

The European Universal Welfare State - Democratic Relational Equality for the European Union

Master thesis | Political Science (MSc)

This Master Thesis in political philosophy aims to resolve the distributive inequalities within the European Union. This can be managed with the theoretical framework of democratic relational equality. Disregarding luck egalitarianism for its narrow scope on pure redistributive measures, it is argued that democratic equality within the EU has to be achieved with either the welfare state or an unconditional basic income. After the European applications of both the unconditional basic income and the welfare state are discussed, it is argued that democratic relational equality is much more compatible with the European Welfare State than with the Euro-dividend due to the former's better performance on the decommodification of the basic needs and the neutrality of the state, when distributing benefits.

The European Union

Welfare State

Democratic Relational Equality

Author

Takow, C.

Note

Acknowledgment: While those encouraging me during the process of my work are the usual suspects for regards, a special thanks has to go to Dr. Christian Schemmel, who send me a chapter of his unpublished book. His analysis of the universal welfare state is a crucial argument for this thesis.

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Political Science

Supervisors

Vrousalis, N.
Oversloot, J.

ECTS Credits

20

Language

en