ABSTRACT
The new legislation constitutes a turning point from a rather passive policy to an active one. The payment of social benefits to the unemployed always relies more on the acceptance of carrying out an active program. Esping-Andersen includes Switzerland in the liberal model of Welfare regimes. The new policy imperatives were to suppress cartels and other obstacles to economic competition, to follow strict monetarist policies, and to limit public deficit and the growth of the welfare state. Welfare schemes, particularly unemployment benefits, are considered to create a situation of unemployment. Welfare benefits have been reduced in order to suppress the incentive to stay unemployed. The principle governing the action of the Swiss German cantons and main cities is: “Rather work than welfare.” The new policy measures mean on one hand a shift from a tradition of welfare passivity to a new philosophy of welfare.
