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The recent economic events reveal the need to reform public pension systems, especially in developed countries where life expectancy of its population exceeds 80 years. Spain is one of this countries. As noted in the article, Spain has a pension system that must deal with huge commitments because of the longevity of its people and the generosity of its size. The paper analyzes the main lines of reform and its likely consequences.
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Objective: The objective of the paper is to identify how the concept of sustainability is understood and ensured in the pension systems of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; and what implications it brings to the performance of pension schemes. Research Design & Methods: Analysis of various conceptual and methodological approaches to the notion of sustainability of pension systems. Comparative analysis of present pension legislation, as well as preceding stage of pension reforms, accompanied by a number of numerical models. Findings: The understanding of sustainability is limited by narrow ‘fiscal’ meaning in Latvia, compared to more a multifaceted concept that includes the principle of social fairness and which can be traced in the logic of Estonian and Lithuanian legislators. Implications & Recommendations: In the long-term, pure financial appreciation of sustainability is misleading, low level of credibility may cripple a financially sound but socially unfair system; the perceived unfairness of redistribution can undermine the public support to, and, therefore, sustainability of pension systems. Contribution & Value Added: The originality of this work lies in studying how differences at policy formulation stage and in the very design of pension schemes influence pension system sustainability in countries with a very similar initial conditions and socio-economic environment.
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Social policy has the ideal of cohesion and inclusiveness of all citizens, but it has to “play” an active role in creating opportunities for them. It encopmasses in itself primarily a balance between economic effi ciency and social solidarity distribution, and strives towards a consensual social model in which the government and the opposition generally agree on the fundamental priorities of society. Starting from July 1st, 2013, Croatia has been a member of the European Union. What experiences can that country bring to European Union? In spite of the differences between the European countries becoming more and more expressed and bigger, there is a common element: a conscience that social justice and social reconciliation could contribute to an economical development and that are not just an expense; but the opposite: an economical development that must contribute to social reconciliation. In the process of the preparation for this work and during the process of its realization, I used the methods of reading a lot of literature, including professional books, professional journals and legislation literature. Social policy has been for years one of my major fi elds of interest, so some facts I knew already. My research goal is to examine the development so far of the social policy in Croatia, to detect the most important conditions which are necessary to develop high-quality social policies, to discover which are strong sides, and which are weak sides of the Croatian social policy, and therefore what is important to strongly develop, and what is redundant and/or old-fashioned, to throw away or neglect.
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opinion surveys from International Social Survey module “Health” data (2011) that reveal public opinions about health care systems in selected countries. These countries have different models of health care systems and our research aimed at identifying in which model people are mostly satisfied with health care services. Research results revealed that health care system in Lithuania is evaluated by public worse in almost all aspects than in the Netherlands and Denmark. One of the worst indicators is public opinion in Lithuania that doctors put priority mainly on earnings but not on patients. Also people in Lithuania are not satisfied with the accessibility of health care services and they express a need for the changes in the system. These tendencies in public opinion lead to a significant level of mistrust in doctors particularly and in health care system generally. There is a high level of trust in doctors in the Netherlands and Denmark.
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While some Member States of the European Union haven’t developed their own national minimum income shemes (Greece and Italy), current legislative regulation in our country recognizes the right to universal material support to the poor population. The basic program of material support is achieved through social assistance payments, while the conditions and amount of financial assistance for beneficiaries are regulated by the Social Protection Law. The aims of this paper are to determine the adequacy of financial assistance as a concept in European practice in the context of right to minimum income support, review of the basic settings of this right in our country and to analyse the adequacy of social assistance payments level in relation to achievement of adequate living standard in the Republic of Serbia. Findings suggest that the amount of financial assistance is inadequate to uplift the social assistance beneficiaries above the absolute poverty line.
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Wenige Begriffe sind so sehr mit der Entstehungs- und Begründungsgeschichte des Sozialstaats der Bundesrepublik Deutschland verbunden gewesen wie der des Generationenvertrags. Ein Bewußtsein von der ideologischen Präsenz dieser Deutungsfigur hatte sich allerdings in den Jahren der sozialliberalen Koalition eher verflüchtigt. Der ursprünglich stark normative Gehalt des Terminus schien sich wohltuend reduziert zu haben auf die schlichte Kennzeichnung und die jeweiligen .Anpassungsleistungen eines bestimmten Verteilungsmechanismus, des sog. Umlageverfahrens, nach dem die jeweils »erwerbstätige Generation« mit: ihren Beiträgen, die gemäß einem bestimmten Prozentsatz des Arbeitseinkommens berechnet sind, die Rentenzahlungen an die gegenwärtig nicht mehr erwerbsaktive »Generation der Rentner« abgilt. Dieses Umlageverfahren ist in der Bundesrepublik zur Grundlage der epochalen Rentenreform von 1957 geworden und hat das bis dahin gültige, aber schon erheblich inflations-und weltkriegsgeschädigte Kapitaldeckungsverfahren in der Rentenversicherung abgelöst. Damit wurde eine »dynamische Rente« eingeführt, deren Höhe sich nicht nur aus dem individuellen versicherungspflichtigen Einkommen über das Erwerbsleben hinweg ergab, sondern auch eine regelmäßige Anpassung an die allgemeine Wohlstandsentwicklung einschloß. Diese Entscheidung, der Rente nun erstmalig die Funktion eines Lohnersatzes zuzuweisen, hat sie von dem vorherigen Makel befreit, nur ein knapp bemessenes Zubrot zu sein, das in jedem Fall zusätzliche Einkommensquellen nötig macht.
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Die neoliberale Zähmung des Wohlfahrtsstaates setzte just zu dem Zeitpunkt ein, als Frauen im Begriffe waren, ihre Teilhabe am Staat mit neuem politischem Selbstverständnis einzufordern und sie für ihre Lebensinteressen auch aktiv zu nutzen. Zu lange hatten Neue Frauenbewegung und feministischer Theoriediskurs die Bedeutung der Staatsfrage unterschätzt. Sie hatten sie erst aufgenommen, als den an männlicher Erwerbslogik und nationalstaatlichen Egoismen geformten westeuropäischen Wohlfahrtsstaaten die Todesglocke geläutet wurde. Angesichts neuer oder auch nur politisch erstarkter Anrechtsgruppen wurde der Bankrott westeuropäischer sozialstaatlicher Arrangements erklärt; sie gelten unter dem Vorwand globalen Konkurrenzdrucks als nicht länger finanzierbar. Ihr Abbau scheint notwendig und einsichtig, der Umbau westeuropäischer Staaten nach Markt- bzw. Effizienzgesichtspunkten setzt die~ Axt am liebsten an den sogenannten aufgeblähten Sozialverwaltungen und an den sozialen Ausgaben an. Fragen demokratischer Teilhabe oder gar Gleichheit wirken da gewissermaßen antiquiert (vgl. kritisch Holland-Cunz 1995).
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The aim of the development of science and technology that we have been witnessing in the past decades, is not only to improve the quality of life, but life itself. New reproductive technologies are presented as something in service of improving life, but it turns out that this development is beginning to re-conceptualize the basic concepts of identity, gender roles, kinship, social equality and existing cultural, religious and ethical norms. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the development of scholarly debates about the relationship of new reproductive technologies, seen as modern achievements which strongly influence the life of a man, and religion, as something of a more traditional network of conceptions and ethos that a man uses to learn about himself and the world around him. The paper analyzes the religious views of Christianity and Islam on the homologous (medical procedures that use sex cells of reproductively-challenged spouses) or heterologous (medical methods which include donation of sperm and/or eggs) assisted reproduction, with the aim of finding the opportunity for dialogue and/or place of confrontation in applying new reproductive procedures and traditional religious conceptions, in cases when "natural" procreation is not possible and infertility is a highly undesirable condition both on individual and social level.
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Much of the recent mainstream literature on economic growth focuses on the role played by factors such as human capital, technical change and innovation, leaving somehow aside the crucial role which physical capital accumulation previously played in economic theory. As underlined in section one, a positive linkage between physical and human capital accumulation is however ex-plicitly admitted by many mainstream endogenous economic growth theorists. They, however, accept either assumptions about physical capital accumulation presented in Solow model based on long run Say’s law validity or accept neoclassical factor demand functions, based on marginal productivity. In both endogenous and exogenous mainstream growth models, income inequalities are thus assumed to positively affect physical capital accumulation and partially or fully affect human capital accumulation as well. Second section presented heterodox arguments contesting both the concept of monotonous productive factor demand functions and the long run validity of Say’s law. It was, then, pointed out that in heterodox growth theory an independent, and much underestimated by mainstream authors, channel of economic growth endogenization can be found. Third section stressed that, once Keynesian long run physical capital accumulation path-dependency from short and long run evolution of aggregate demand and income distribution is considered, a strong positive relation between income inequalities reduction, technical change and both human and physical capital accumulation can be expected to follow. Integration of Keynesian and mainstream approaches was argued to could possibly increase the relevance of sources of endogenous growth present in both approaches and to reduce the inopportune long-short run divide still affecting economic theory.
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This article deals with the role of welfare state as a subject of intensive discussions concerning its legitimacy, justification of its existence and functioning. Due to long-term crisis of the social state, this contribution identifies its problematic aspects and presents the main reasons and causes that are rooted in growing dominance of private sector. Such dominance originates from social stratification and weakening of solidarity between different social groups, i.e. support of social state.
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The introductory part of the work gives a short theoretical presentation regarding possible financing models of health services in the world. In the applicative part of the work we shall present the basic practical models of financing health services in the countries that are the leaders of classic methods of health services financing, e. g. the USA, Great Britain, Germany and Croatia. Working out the applicative part of the work we gave the greatest significance to analysis of some macroeconomic indicators in health services (tendency of total health consumption in relation to GDP, average consumption per insured person etc.), to structure analysis of health insurance and just to the scheme of health service organization and financing. We presume that each model of health service financing contains certain limitations that can cause problem (weak organization, increase of expenses etc.). This is the reason why we, in the applicative part of the work, paid a special attention to analysis of financial difficulties in the health sector and pointed to the needs and possibilities of solving them through possible reform measures. The end part of the work aims to point out to advantages and disadvantages of individual financing sources through the comparison method (budgetary– taxes or social health insurance – contributions).
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The text deals with current and future trends in the developmentand application of robotic systems suitable for military engineering.The first chapter deals with contemporary requirements for applicationof robotics into military engineering and furthermore it assesses current state of application of engineer robotic systems into military practice. The second chapter is dedicated to future possibilities of application of robotic systems into military engineering and mentions trends indevelopment of robotic technologies with an emphasis on engineer robotic systems. The chapter also aims at forecast of development andapplication of these systems into Czech army corps of engineers. The last part of the text summarizes identified discrepancies between currentand required state and deduces individual recommendations.
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Review of the books "Magyarország politikai gazdaságtana - Az északi modell esélyei" by Pogátsa Zoltán (Osiris, Budapest, 2016) and "Holtpont - Társadalomkritikai tanulmányok Magyarország elmúlt 25 évéről" (Napvilág, Budapest, 2016)
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The concept of the European social model in the past two decades has been subject of scientific dis-cussion among researchers active in the field of social policy of the European Union. The formulation of a common policy in the social sphere implied the determination of basic values shared by all Member States, as well as the implementation of such values in the legislative practice. Main objectives of this article are analysis of the European social model concept and synthesizing knowledge about ways of coordinating various social security systems at EU level, which contribute to the implementation of this concept in practice. Reviewing the coordination mechanisms, special emphasis is given to the devel-opment of soft method that changes and enriches the discourse of coordination. The analysis leads to the conclusion that the harmonization of national social policies is most present in the field of labour law, along with expanding the scope of the European Union competences in another area of social policy.
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The amendment of the pension law of 2014 was expected to simplify the rules which would serve as a base for determining the amount of benefit that a family breadwinner would receive if he/she was alive. The adoption of clear and uncomplicated rules for calculating the pension of a breadwinner would create an opportunity to determine the amount of derivative benefits – a survivor’s pension. Unfortunately, the formula of determining the amount of a breadwinner’s pension and consequently a survivor’s pension that is proposed in art. 73 of the pension law is difficult to accept. It is complicated, unclear and imprecise. Similar concerns are raised with respect to the lack of legislator’s reaction concerning the change of the age of widows and widowers acquiring the right to a survivor’s pension. It is incomprehensible that the legislature has increased the retirement age so eagerly and maintained a relatively low age (50 years), which entitles to obtain a survivor’s pension, at the same time.
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In this paper, the author analyzes certain social work definitions in the context of theory and practice. She points to the problems and difficulties in defining social work, discussing the possibilities of establishing social work science, and challenges that definitions face in in the 21st century. In particular, she elaborates attitudes about the important factors of social work science subjects, social work research subjects and subjects of practice, or social work practice. She also gives significant attention to the influence of social factors on the construction and the way of shaping the theory and social work practice. In the end, she examines the relationship and link between theory and practice, theory and research in social work, and the connection of research into social work and practice.
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The article is devoted to, resulting from the Polish demographic situation, the problems of social and professional functioning of the elderly. The researchers indicate that this significant and growing number of age group of Poles becomes a member of precariat. Defined as a community of persons who are in a precarious situation, weak economically, excluded from the possibility of professional development. The text contains a preliminary analysis of the correctness of such an assumption, in the context of several of its basic designates. On the background of examples of people achieving above average success already at an older age, showing the low level of economic security, the lack of access to important benefits and services as well as a low level of welfare of Polish seniors. In addition, a review has been made of some important aspects of life and functioning of these people, such as the senior policy, ageism and stigmatization of old age,the level of employment of people over 50 and older, the nature of learning and educational tasks for seniors, the digital exclusion and the potential advantages of seniors. Moreover, a concept of"senior-phobia" has been introduced, understood as the fear of contact with old people. The article ends with conclusions and proposals, and the reflection on the future of senior citizens and everyone in the demographic realities.
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Out-of-pocket expenditures are a significant barrier in accessing health services. This paper aims to analyse the structure of financing system in the context of the performance indicators of healthcare systems. The study was conducted for the 28 countries of the former Eastern bloc in the years 2000 and 2013, based on data from the World Health Organization. In the DEA-CCR input-oriented model, inputs are the percentage share of private spending in the total expenditure on healthcare and the percentage share of out-of-pocket patient spending in total private spending. The outputs are life expectancy and mortality rate. A ranking of the countries was created and the differences between the two study periods, as well the desired directions of changes in the financing structure were pointed out.
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Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is designed to assist in conception in cases where a background of serious hereditary disease exists in one or both partners and it is seen necessary to screen out embryos that may be carrying chromosomal or genetic abnormalities. Therefore, and regardless of whether a state of infertility otherwise prevails, the procedure may only be lawfully applied to alleviate the risk of transmitting specific genetic disorders to a child. In practice, PGD raises many ethical objections as a method which – as doctrine says – commodifies reproduction and enables the unwanted practice of positive eugenics (selection of embryos of a particular sex or one bearing certain qualities). Parents may be prone to choose the features of their future child and decide, by means of PGD, to produce a baby of a certain sex, genetic make-up or tissue match for a living sibling. The legislator should therefore intervene and establish a normative framework for the practice of PGD and maintain continuous control over its application to prevent abuse of the child’s welfare.
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V roce 1862 byla v Praze svolána ustavující schůze Sokola. Jeho myšlenky V zdravém těle zdravý duch!; V mysli vlast, v paži sílu!; Tužme se! se na dlouhou dobu staly synonymem pro tělesnou zdatnost a vytrvalost. Nebylo divu, že řady Sokola se rychle rozrůstaly. Na sokolské hnutí brzy navázaly i hasičské sbory a později také armáda.
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