Labor Markets and Social Policy in Central and Eastern Europe: The Accession and Beyond

'Labor Markets and Social Policy in Central and Eastern Europe' summarises social policy reform during the transition and EU accession and analyses the social policy challenges which continue to face both old and new member states. Specifically, the book amplifies two sets of arguments. First, social policy under communism was in important respects well-suited to the old order and—precisely for that reason—was systematically badly-suited to a market economy. Strategic reform directions thus followed from the nature of the transition process and from constraints imposed by EU accession. Secondly, successful accession is not the end of the story: economic and social trends over the past 50 years are creating strains for social policy which all countries—old and new members—will have to face.

This book will be of interest to readers interested in social policy, particularly those with an interest in the process of post-communist transition, in EU accession, and in future social policy challenges for the wider Europe. It should be of interest to academics in departments of economics, social policy and political science, and to policy makers, including government advisers and civil servants.

In this sequel to his 1994 edited volume, Labor Markets and Social Policy in Central and Eastern Europe: The Transition and Beyond, Barr (public economics, London School of Economics, UK) presents seven chapters from mainly the same authors assessing the main areas of social policy in the post-communist transition countries in the intervening decade. Chapters cover the general economic course of transition, the process of European accession, labor markets, social safety nets, pensions, health care, and education and training. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR