Burgers and efficiency. Welfare state to the welfare society

Abstract

The crisis that began in 2008 has shown a number of structural problems at different levels of the global economic system and, in particular, in Spanish society. The American ‘subprime’ crisis first, and then the Eurozone crisis, the real estate bubble, etc., have shown some contradictions in Spain, especially in the development and provision of social welfare. This article introduces the so called “Burger’s metaphor” as a theoretical construct that explains the inefficiencies of the public sector and how the solutions fail because of their political and social characteristics. That failure, the demographic trends and the chronic deficits demand answers that guarantee political, civil and social rights. The solutions are summarized in the “3S Theory”: Suppressing public initiatives, Superseding public by private and Simplifying; that is, applying the principle of subsidiarity to the individual to be able to move from Welfare State to Welfare Society. In order to get this –considering the ‘classical’ literature on social policies, social status, the worlds of welfare, post-capitalism and pluralism of welfare– three questions arise: (i). What inefficiencies exist in public and social policies? (ii). Can Spanish society in the European Union context bear this chronic inefficiency? (iii). Does the Dutch way serve as an answer, as it was expressed in Prince’s speech on September 2013? The socio-political determinants in the public sector and its economic consequences cause its intrinsic inefficiency. The system itself hinders the solution, given the politician’s preference for the electoral revenue. Employment and spending patterns hobble the manager, and other sociocultural factors prevent the reform. Several modernization plans, administrative simplification programs and e-government actions etc. have not had any effect on efficiency. “3S Theory” proposes a process of reflection and “competencies’ thinning”, so the State’s subsidiarity towards civil society becomes real and effective, without sacrificing Welfare. The supply of social welfare will have to come from a different way that will lead to the Welfare Society. Individuals, associations or companies must recover the “res publica”. It is about balancing the current responsibilities’ trade off: “Active” social responsibility (of engagement) of private sector and the so-called “third sector” and “passive” responsibility (Self-limiting) of public sector.