What's European about Europe?

Résumé du document

The text we have is an article written by James Wickham in April 2003, and revised in 2004. In this article, the author gives us a brief analysis of the European Social Model, pointing up its potential and its weaknesses. All along this text, he interrogates about the different forms this model takes, by comparison with the USA. He argues that in spite of many similarities between Europe and the USA (in terms of economy, society, politics…), such model is really a sharping difference, notably regarding the role played by States in Europe.

Firstly, the author tries to define what the European Social Model (ESM) is. Comparing Europe with the USA, he highlights many features of this model: income redistribution, public services such as school and health. In fact, he underlines that European societies are more egalitarian (because people accept the importance of the State) than in the USA, where inequalities (of income, of level of education…) are more tolerated. The State, which is above the clash of private interests, is based on principles of fairness and uprightness, its intervention has many sources: market failure, connection between the State and the Nation. Hence, general goods are produced in a public sphere, in order to insure equity among societies, through different ways: transports, media, education, health…

Extraits

[...] To conclude, I think this text is very well-down, quite well- structured, and brings very interesting elements of analysis. However, it is now outdated in some points because of the current global circumstances. Finally, I do not think that Wickham is right to consider the ESM as the main feature of European unity because he forgets plenty of other dimensions (culture or politics for example). Moreover, I do not think that there is really a unity of welfare states in Europe. References Wickham, James (2004). ?What?s European about Europe? Potential and weaknesses of the European Social Model?? [...]

[...] Indeed, many observers agree to say that the ESM is one of the reasons why Europe has difficulties in the current international competition. Indeed, as J. Wickham argues, such system may lead to loose competitiveness because of all rights it includes. These rights, such as employment or economic rights disadvantage firms because they are constrained by many charges that other firms in the world do not have to bear. For example, most of European countries have instituted a minimum wage (as the SMIC in France for instance) which is important on a social level but which make European firms less competitive. [...]

[...] One of the other defining features of European welfare states is economic citizenship and employment rights (even if there are differences among European countries). Hence, one of the important differences between Europe and the USA is that there are poor workers in the USA whereas European welfare states allow people to have other alternatives than unemployment if they do not have a paid job. Public childcare is also an element of social welfare states. Secondly, the author tries to critique the ESM and to underscore its weaknesses. [...]

[...] Indeed, in many European countries, measures have been implemented to make firms more competitive. This is particularly true in the economic crisis we are going through. In Germany for instance, chancellor Schroder decided to reduce expenses paid by corporations and to introduce flexibility in the market. Peter Hartz, a close aide to the chancellor created euro-job” (300,000 workers paid 1.50 and mini- jobs (paid a month, for 10 hours of work each week, with exemption of certain taxes). Nowadays, there are also poor workers in Europe (not only in the USA) and there is more and more instability for European workers. [...]

[...] What's European about Europe? The text we have is an article written by James Wickham in April 2003, and revised in 2004. In this article, the author gives us a brief analysis of the European Social Model, pointing up its potential and its weaknesses. All along this text, he interrogates about the different forms this model takes, by comparison with the USA. He argues that in spite of many similarities between Europe and the USA (in terms of economy, society, politics such model is really a sharping difference, notably regarding the role played by States in Europe. [...]