| Abstract [eng] |
This paper analyzes the development of the welfare regimes of the new European Union member states in the period of 1989–2009. The basic aim of this research is to distinguish main factors, which caused Lithuania to choose a neoliberal social model despite constantly increasing public dissatisfaction with the insufficient coverage of the national social welfare system. It is argued that the strength of the link between the state and society can help to explain the variation of the post-communist welfare regimes. The weak state-society link, which is assessed on the basis of the strength of the civil society and its opportunities to participate in the policy process, “restricted” the influence of Lithuanian citizens on governmental public policies. As a result, Lithuanian social model was influenced by strong business interest groups, dominating neoliberal discourse and intense influence from the neoliberal international financial institutions aimed at creating liberal welfare states. Meanwhile, stronger link between state and society in the Czech Republic, which can be classified to the group of conservative-corporatist welfare states, can explain the resistance of the Czech Republic to the influence of neoliberal external pressure. |
