Considering that social services could be provided either by the public sector and private bodies, the dimensions of the Welfare State are similar in Europe and in the Usa. However, the breakdown in spending is different: more is spent on health in the Usa whereas assistance and social security are the priorities in Europe. The redistributive effects of the two systems are difficult to assess given that each item of social spending presents specific features. It must, however, be stressed that the dimensions of the social state are an inadequate criterion to compare the level of redistribution of social spending.only subscribers can see the full article

To find the answer to the question: «To what extent are Italians committed to work», working hours in Italy, Europe and the Us are compared and analysed to ascertain how they constitute an important element of the occupational model. Once demonstrated that the Italian occupational model guarantees a level of working commitment higher than the Eu average, productivity and per capita production results are examined. The clear loss of advantage of the Italian economy emerges from the comparative framework. The paper concludes by indicating some policy measures on working hours aimed at reorganising workplaces for the recovery of productivity. only subscribers can see the full article

The paper gives an overview of the historical evolution and characteristics of the s in Germany, the Uk and the Usa. The article also proposes an economic interpretation of differences between the three countries. Germany and the Uk, through different models, assure universal access to health services. In the Usa the residual role of public funding doesn’t manage to make up for shortcoming in the private sector, leaving almost a third of the population without any insurance or with insufficient insurance coverage. High health spending in the Usa, incrementing the diffusion of increasingly expensive new technologies and therapeutic approaches, can put universalistic systems under pressure. To maintain the present structure of European health systems, it is necessary to manage the diffusion of new technologies.only subscribers can see the full article