ABSTRACT
Although the analyses in the preceding chapters do not add fuel to the belief that individualization and globalization render the welfare state unsustainable in the long run, they nevertheless point to some weaknesses of many present welfare states. These weaknesses relate mainly to the balance between one-sided and two-sided solidarity and to the strong focus of contemporary welfare states on the national level. This final chapter discusses some policy options that address these weaknesses. However, neither theoretical considerations nor empirical results are conclusive with respect to the direction these changes should take. On the one hand, there is a case in point for shifting the balance of the welfare state to two-sided solidarity, in order to foster the support of the middle-classes. On the other hand, there may be good reasons to restrict public provisions to one-sided solidarity, too, in order to reduce public expenditures. The simultaneous processes of globalization and localization could be an argument for shifting the main provider of welfare services to the supranational level (e.g. the European Union), but also to the local level (e.g. the municipality).
