ABSTRACT
It is evident that the crisis of the welfare state in Europe, and elsewhere, has caused great uncertainty about the future for social protection in the twenty-first century. The prospects appear to be heavily influenced by the past decade, marked by mass unemployment and increasing social inequalities. Large groups in society are threatened by social exclusion at the same time as the state is reducing the benefit entitlements and social services, sometimes as a consequence of reduced public social expenditures, often just as a result of increased needs. The similarities of the development in the various parts of Europe are striking. This evokes a critical question about the future of the European welfare states: Will Social Europe work?
