Peculiarities of the Romanian welfare state

• Author: Dumitrache, V. - Raileanu Szeles, M.
• Position: PhD. Student, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu - Dept. of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Brasov
• Pages: 183-188

Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Braşov • Vol. 5 (54) •No. 1 - 2012

Series V: Economic Sciences

PECULIARITIES OF

THE ROMANIAN WELFARE STATE

V. DUMITRACHE1 M. RILEANU SZELES2

Abstract: This paper comparatively analyzes the characteristics of EU

welfare states in order to find out the most representative welfare regime for

Romania. The examination of Romanian welfare regime includes the analysis

of different dimensions of welfare, as well as the structure of social services

market. The paper also reveals the weak points of the Romanian social

services as well as the directions to be followed in the future to improve them

and to ensure a higher level of social welfare for the population.

Key words: welfare state, quality of life, economic development.

1 PhD. Student, Faculty of Economic Sciences, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu.

2 Dept. of Economic Sciences and Business Administration, Transilvania University of Braşov.

1. Introduction

The increase of the standard of living

and the ensuring of social welfare

represent a social aim of the European

Union, as reflected by EU strategy 2007-

2012. This objective is particularly

followed through a set of economic and

social measures, such as the improvement

of the health and education systems, safety

of workers, decrease of unemployment and

reduction of occupational accidents and

deaths. The increase of the standard of

living for the whole population leads to

social welfare.

The EU countries follow different

welfare regimes, which makes it difficult

the association of the EU with a single

welfare regime. In this multidimensional

framework, Romania must find a national

identity as regards the welfare regime. This

should be related to the rapport between

disposable resources and social needs. The

inclusion of a country into a welfare

regime is not a precise and objective

attempt, because it has a relative and

multidimensional nature. The quality of

health, education and social protection

services, as well as unemployment,

inequality and social exclusion are just few

dimensions of social welfare.

This paper looks at the peculiarities of

the EU welfare regimes by analyzing the

similarities and discrepancies between

them, in order to place Romania into a

welfare regime category.

The paper is structured as follows: the

first section is the introduction, the second

section presents the theoretical area of

social welfare, the third section

comparatively examines the EU welfare

states, the fourth section associates

Romania to a EU welfare regime based on

the dynamics of the main welfare

dimensions in Romania, and the fifth

section concludes on the main findings of

the paper.

2. The concept and typology of welfare

state

Though traces of the Welfare State can

be found even throughout 18th century

England, it is well established that the