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Н. Б. Ларіна ТЕНДЕНЦІЇ ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЇ СОЦІАЛЬНОЇ ПОЛІТИКИ ДЕМОКРАТИЧНИХ КРАЇН: ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ДЛЯ УКРАЇНИ
У статті проаналізовано особливості модернізації соціальної політики демократичних країн: умови й тенденції проходження, позитивні і негативні наслідки. Акцентовано увагу на проблемах подолання бідності, становлення демократичної й соціальної держави.
Ключові слова: соціальна політика, соціальна активність, соціальна держава, суб’єкти соціальної політики, модернізація, демократія, трансформація та глобалізаційні процеси.
В статье анализируются особенности модернизации социальной политики демократических стран: тенденции прохождения, положительные и отрицательные последствия. Акцентируется на вопросах преодоления бедности, строительстве демократического и социального государства.
Ключевые слова: социальная политика, социальная активность, социальное государство, субъекты социальной политики, модернизация, демократия, трансформация, глобализационные процессы.
Problem setting. The article considers crucial issues of social policy modernization of democratic states: its terms and tendencies of advancing, positive and negative consequences. The experience of political life of democratic states beyond reasonable doubt demonstrates the necessity of adaptation of Ukrainian society to the world globalization challenges in order for Ukraine to be recognized as a democratic state in international community. Changes and transformations, influences by globalization processes take place in all fields of life-sustaining activities of society: economic, political, social etc. Recent research and publications analysis. Modernization theories under current conditions take welldefined socio-cultural form. There is still an open question regarding the research on “human dimension” of social policy, on modernization and transformation of social policy of modern democratic states. Particularly topical in the given context is the problem of formation of social policy model for Ukraine and determination of tendencies for its transformation in the circumstances of democratization. Such national and foreign scientists have paid much attention to the research on this issue: M. Volgin, V. Horbatenko, E. Hansova, O. Doronin, W. Lorenz, G. Esping-Andersen, B. Deacon, T. Semyhina, V. Skurativsky, A. Silenko, A. Skrypniuk, etc. Paper main body. The essential feature of modernization process is the structural and substantial transformation of state system of administration, aimed at revelation of all its potential capabilities, formation of state structure of social action. Globalization processes may be considered to be one of the most significant factors for accelerating the integration processes and democratic development of the world community. In a globalized world the problems of the long-term development can not be resolved without taking into consideration changes in the social sphere of society, projection of the development of relations between an individual and the state and determination of the basic foundations for modernization of social policy. The experience of developed states clearly demonstrates that the origin as well as the formation of welfare state does not occur spontaneously, but on the basis of goal-oriented state policy. While analyzing the problem of modernization of Ukrainian society at the turn of Millennium, modern scholars point out that at the present stage of Ukrainian nation-building the development of welfare state emerged as a necessity in order to overcome mutual separation of an individual and the state, the state and society. While analyzing the nature of social security state, one should point out that in such a state the citizen has a legally enforceable right to get a certain guaranteed minimal prosperity. And welfare state guarantees a minimum level of prosperity, and thus takes the responsibilities of its provision, limiting civic freedoms by taking decisions for the citizens on the basis of full responsibility for them (for the citizens). In the age of globalization despite the expected revitalization of economic and social situation due to the elimination of trade barriers, liberalization has only led to further intensification of inequality between the poor and the rich states, as well as between different social groups within one state. Even in developed countries there are still notable differences in earnings, depending on age, gender, ethnicity. Actually, this concerns not only income but also other quality of life indicators. The basic tendencies and peculiarities of the functioning of modern social security systems of European countries are the following:
– shift in emphasis from state charity to refocusing of labour pool, so that the citizens use their own energy and capabilities for social security;
– creation of social and economic conditions for social self-protection and social security by means of personal contribution on the basis of self-regulation of one’s own potential;
– intensification of rendering targeted aid;
– implementation of equality between the sexes
– individually targeted payments;
– programs for fighting against poverty and marginalization;
– decentralization of service supply, shift away from hospital service; etc.
Conclusions of the research. The experience of European countries proves that political aspirations to implement democratic transformation in the country may be ineffective if they are not vested with spiritual, particularly humane, ethical and moral dimension, focused on mandatory consideration of private interests of the person and of the citizen, their harmonization with the public interests of the society, guarantee of human rights and freedoms and protection mechanisms. Establishment of Ukraine has objectively led to the expansion of its relations with the world community, to adaptation to world globalization processes. Therefore, at the given stage Ukraine faces a task to build the modern model of its peculiar social policy, taking into account positive experience of changes and transformations in social policy models of democratic states. While reforming the existing mechanisms of national regulation of social issues, it is desirable to consider not only current trends of social policy of positive nature, but also the negative consequences and alterations in social policy of the democratic states all over the world.
Key words: social policy, social activity, social state, the subjects of social policy, modernization, democracy, transformation, globalization processes.