Towards a Sustainable Welfare State: An Evaluation and Typology of OECD Countries Through the Fuzzy-set Ideal Types Analysis

Abstract

This study attempts to search the "sustainable welfare system" as a new social organization principle required in the super-aged post-industrial society that is presenting an era of "limited resources-increased social demands" created by aging, low-growth, and family changes. To achieve this purpose, this study first attempted to define the term "sustainable welfare state" from the perspective of three-dimensions of sustainability that are composed economic sustainablity based on economic growth, financial sustainability based on soundness of national finance, and social sustainability based on social reproduction and quality of life. And then, the index for measuring sustainability was developed and it was used to evaluate the sustainability of the OECD countries. As the result of measuring, Switzerland ranked first in the sustainable welfare state index. Next came Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Korea was placed 17th. Considering three-dimension of sustainablity, OECD countries were classified into 8 ideal types of sustainability through applying fuzzy-set ideal types analysis. It was analysed the characteristics of social welfare policy and gender policy by ideal types of sustainability. Lastly, it is examined the welfare strategy that the Korean society must hold on to pursue a sustainable welfare country in such situations.