Implications of the global financial crisis (2008-2009) for equity in the welfare State. Comparative analysis between the four types of welfare regimes

Abstract

The aim of this research is to compare the compatibility between fiscal policy and the normative principles of equity in the different welfare regimes, in the aftermath of the financial and economic crisis (2008-2009). In this research, we propose a comprehensive two-part approach: tax equity and expenditure equity. We argue that the relationship between crisis and transformation of the welfare state in the fiscal policy dimension is neither direct nor automatic, and that different types of welfare regimes opted for divergent policy responses to try to mitigate the negative effects of the market.