Der österreichische Wohlfahrtsstaat : Entwicklung und Herausforderungen

Résumé En

The present article aims at describing and pointing out the problems of the current situation and the development of social policy in Austria against the background of its historic roots. In the first part the authors note the high path-dependency – up till recently – in the configuration of social policy in Austria. In this context the fundamental features of the Austrian welfare state are outlined and closer exemplified, followed – in a second part – by the identification of current problems and challenges with which this system is confronted. The politics of the last decade to these problems in form of a (defensive) ‘policy of adaptation’. Relevant measures found for manœuvre only within the framework of established programmes and contained hardly components capable of substantially changing fundamental principles of the system. However, basic system-changing measures are frequently under consideration by the new middle right Government that has been in office since early 2000, and some of these ideas are already being implemented. This neoliberal/ conservative policy reversal, which is being advanced at considerable pace, is of note not only in relation to the nature of its content, but also in regard to its effects on the ability of the Austrian welfare state to achieve social integration.