The European Welfare States, Social Policy and Social Justice

The welfare state research nowadays mainly focuses on comparisons among five types of welfare states; the Nordic or social-democratic, Liberal, Continental/corporatist, Mediterranean, and Post-socialist. The European Union (EU) has, through recommendations and treaties, enhanced political, economic and social cooperation among the member states. There are, however, economic and social inequalities among the five types of welfare states, and also between countries within specific types of welfare states. The differences can, to a great extent, be explained by variations in the quality of governments, which in many ways are connected to historical, cultural, political and economic factors.The Nordic countries are a fairly distinct group and differ from most other countries in maintaining small income inequalities and providing universal benefits and services.