Introduction: An Overview of Welfare Reform in Europe and the United States

Abstract

To describe the widespread progression of active labour market policies (ALMPs) as a process of political infatuation is no exaggeration. It is in the context of persistent mass unemployment and economic inactivity (CEC, 2005) that the virtues of ALMPs began to be rediscovered, especially within supranational organisations such as the OECD and the European Union. The OECD defines ALMPS as follows:‘First, they make receipt of benefits conditional on the benefit recipient demonstrating active job search and/or a willingness to take steps to improve employa-bility. Second, they provide a range of pre-employment services and advice to help the individuals in question find work or get ready for work’ (OECD, 2002: 9). ALMPs interact with ‘passive’ labour market policies such as unemployment and social assistance benefits. When there is a tendency to activate passive benefits, such policies can be described as generic ‘activation’ policies. They are defined by their goal: they intend to help people of working age back into the labour market. From the outset, the term ‘activation’ contains a strong normative judgement about the unemployed and the inactive. Such populations are portrayed as ‘passive’, as opposed to ‘active’, that is working, citizens. Henceforth, the inactive, that is passive, citizens are in need of activation and support to get back into paid employment.