Abstract
Demographic challenges are increasingly becoming part of the political agenda in Europe. Using data from 31 European countries the chapter provides an overview of how changes in population structure and demographic processes are linked to political views and rhetoric about social policy at the start of the twenty-first century in Europe. Population development is analysed alongside views of governments on population growth and population policies. The chapter looks at the key population processes from three main angles: the objective situation; official views on the situation; and how European countries differ in their social policy reactions.
The results show that the consensus on the need for family policy in Europe is widespread. We found also clear evidence that attitudes towards population growth and respective policies tend to concur with the demographic situation. Concern about the population situation and the willingness to support population growth policies have developed simultaneously and become stronger in Europe. However we also saw that political rhetoric is not always tied to actual higher spending on families with children. An alternative solution to improve the structure of the population and increase population growth would be to increase immigration. We observed some liberalization of European political attitudes towards immigration from 2001 to 2011.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Ainsaar, M. (2012). Children in the family and welfare state attitudes: Altruism or self-interest? In H. Ervasti, J. G. Andersen, T. Fridberg, & K. Ringdal (Eds.), Future of the welfare state. Social policy attitudes and social capital in Europe (pp. 88–106). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Baird, D. T., Collins, J., Evers, J. L. H., Leridon, H., Lutz, W., te Velde, E., et al. (2010). Europe the continent with the lowest fertility. Human Reproduction Update, 16(6), 590–602.
Björklund, A. (2006). Does family policy affect fertility? Journal of Population Economics, 19(3), 3–24.
Bloom, D. E., & Canning, D. (2008). Global demographic change: Dimensions and economic significance. Population and Development Review, 34, 17–51.
Brooks, C., & Manza, J. (2006). Why do welfare states persist? The Journal of Politics, 68(4), 816–827.
Calahorrano, L. (2013). Population aging and individual attitudes toward immigration: Disentangling age, cohort and time effects. Review of International Economics, 21(2), 342–353. doi:10.1111/roie.12040.
Coleman, D. (2006). Europe’s demographic future: Determinants, dimensions, and challenges. Population and Development Review, 32, 52–95.
Daly, M. (2011). What adult worker model? A critical look at recent social policy reform in Europe from a gender and family perspective. Social Politics, 18(1), 1–23. doi:10.1093/sp/jxr002.
Demeny, P. (2003). Population policy dilemmas in Europe at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Population and Development Review, 29(1), 1–28.
Demeny, P. (2011). Population policy and the demographic transition: Performance, prospects, and options. Population and Development Review, 37, 249–274.
Felix, A., & Watkins, K. (2013). The impact of an aging U.S. population on state tax revenues. Economic Review(4), 95–127.
Frejka, T., Sobotka, T., Hoem, J., & Toulemon, L. (2008). Summary and general conclusions: Childbearing trends and policies in Europe. Demographic Research, 19(2), 5–14. doi:10.4054/DemRes.2008.19.2.
Gauthier, A. (2007). The impact of family policies on fertility in industrialized countries: A review of the literature. Population Research and Policy Review, 26, 323–346.
Hantrais, L. (1997). Exploring relationship between social policy and changing family forms within the European Union. European Journal of Population, 13, 337–379.
Hoem, J. (2008). The impact of public policies on European fertility. Demographic Research, 19(10), 249–260. doi:10.4054/DemRes.2008.19.10.
Höhn, C. (1999). When demography meets policy-making: Demography in an area of tension. In A. Kuijsten, H. de Gans, & H. de Feijter (Eds.), The joy of demography … And other disciplines. Amsterdam: Thela Thesis.
Kalwij, A. (2010). The impact of family policy expenditure on fertility in Western Europe. Demography, 47(2), 503–519.
Lassila, J., & Valkonen, T. (2008). Uncertain demographics and pension policy. Revue économique, 59(5), 913–926.
Marcu, M. (2011). Population grows in twenty EU member states. Statistics in focus. Population and Social Conditions, 38. Eurostat. Accessed December 17, 2014, from http://www.unav.edu/matrimonioyfamilia/b/documentos/Eurostat_Population_28072011.pdf
McDonald, P. (2006). Low fertility and the state: The efficiency of policy. Population and Development Review, 32(3), 485–510.
Morgan, K. J. (2013). Path shifting of the welfare state: Electoral competition and the expansion of work-family policies in Western Europe. World Politics, 65(1), 73–115.
Neyer, G., & Andersson, G. (2008). Consequences of family policies on childbearing behavior: Effects or artifacts? Population and Development Review, 34, 699–724.
Pierson, P. (1996). The path to European integration. Comparative Political Studies, 29(2), 123–163.
Rijken, A. (2006). Fertility rates in Europe: The influence of policy, economy and culture. In J. Bradshaw & A. Hatland (Eds.), Social policy, employment and family change in comparative perspective (pp. 143–159). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Rǿnsen, M. (2004). Fertility and family policy in Norway—A reflections on trends and possible connections. Demographic Research, 10(10), 265–286.
Sardon, J.-P. (2006). Recent demographic trends in Europe and the other developed countries. Population, 61(3), 197–266 (English edition).
United Nations Population Policy Database. (2014). Accessed May 12, 2014, from http://esa.un.org/PopPolicy/wpp_datasets.aspx
Wennemo, I. (1994). Sharing the costs of children. Studies on the development of family support in the OECD countries. Stockholm: Swedish Institute for Social Research.
Acknowledgements
The work was supported by the Estonian Science Foundation.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Ainsaar, M., Rootalu, K. (2016). European Demographic Change and Welfare Challenges. In: Schubert, K., de Villota, P., Kuhlmann, J. (eds) Challenges to European Welfare Systems. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07680-5_34
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-07680-5_34
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-07679-9
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-07680-5
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)