Hardback
Housing, Welfare and the State in Europe
A Comparative Analysis of Britain, France and Germany
9781858984513 Edward Elgar Publishing
Housing, Welfare and the State in Europe identifies a divergence in housing policy between, on the one hand, the majority of relatively affluent households and, on the other, an impoverished minority. The legal, financial and economic concerns of the well-housed, owner-occupier majority have preoccupied public policy across Europe, with the impoverished minority often badly housed or homeless. In Britain this has been particularly evident with elections won and lost on the level of the mortgage rate rather than the level of housing output, and still less on the level of homelessness.
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Critical Acclaim
Contents
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Mark Kleinman’s new book explains what has happened to housing policy in Europe over the last two decades, and what housing policy can tell us about welfare development more generally over the period.
Housing, Welfare and the State in Europe identifies a divergence in housing policy between, on the one hand, the majority of relatively affluent households and, on the other, an impoverished minority. The legal, financial and economic concerns of the well-housed, owner-occupier majority have preoccupied public policy across Europe, with the impoverished minority often badly housed or homeless. In Britain this has been particularly evident with elections won and lost on the level of the mortgage rate rather than the level of housing output, and still less on the level of homelessness.
Housing policy occupies a unique place in public policy at the intersection of social with economic policy, involving a mixed economy of welfare. Consequently, Dr Kleinman’s study offers insights into the future direction of public policy as a whole, the balance between economic and social goals, and the relative weighting given to free markets and state intervention in a variety of countries.
Housing, Welfare and the State in Europe identifies a divergence in housing policy between, on the one hand, the majority of relatively affluent households and, on the other, an impoverished minority. The legal, financial and economic concerns of the well-housed, owner-occupier majority have preoccupied public policy across Europe, with the impoverished minority often badly housed or homeless. In Britain this has been particularly evident with elections won and lost on the level of the mortgage rate rather than the level of housing output, and still less on the level of homelessness.
Housing policy occupies a unique place in public policy at the intersection of social with economic policy, involving a mixed economy of welfare. Consequently, Dr Kleinman’s study offers insights into the future direction of public policy as a whole, the balance between economic and social goals, and the relative weighting given to free markets and state intervention in a variety of countries.
Critical Acclaim
‘Housing, Welfare and the State in Europe not only provides an insightful perspective on recent trends in housing policy, but is essential reading for anyone concerned with wider debates on convergence or social polarization.’
– J. Barlow, Regional Studies
‘This is an excellent book which will be well received and contribute to both teaching and research.’
– Michael Harloe, University of Essex, UK
‘. . . this is a very good book, well-written and of a highly readable length. Kleinman has combined an accessible and stimulating discussion of important theoretical debates with well presented factual accounts of housing in the three countries.’
Peter Malpass, ROOF
– J. Barlow, Regional Studies
‘This is an excellent book which will be well received and contribute to both teaching and research.’
– Michael Harloe, University of Essex, UK
‘. . . this is a very good book, well-written and of a highly readable length. Kleinman has combined an accessible and stimulating discussion of important theoretical debates with well presented factual accounts of housing in the three countries.’
Peter Malpass, ROOF
Contents
Contents: 1. Housing, Welfare and the State 2. Britain: An Anglo-Saxon Housing Policy? 3. France: “Qui dit Marché dit Exclusion” 4. Germany: From Social Market to Free Market 5. Europe: Bringing in the (Super) State? 6. The Wider Context: Welfare Division and Welfare Change 7. Policy Convergence or Policy Collapse? References Index
