Sweden's Budgetary System for Welfare and Education: From the Viewpoint of Extending Defamilialization

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25590119
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Sociology
• Research Institution: Chukyo University
• Principal Investigator: OOKA Yorimitsu 中京大学, 現代社会学部, 准教授 (80329656)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 脱家族化 / 福祉・教育・年金予算 / 予算編成改革 / 年金改革 / 改革委員会への政治家参加 / 高齢者の就労促進 / 人生全体の視点 / 人生前半の社会保障

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Many studies have analyzed care systems based on the concept of "defamilialization.” This study extends this concept to the understanding of public aid policies for education by examining Sweden’s welfare and education budget. In the economic crises of the 1990s, the Swedish government reformed its budgetary system; when public debt peaked, it increased financial aid for university students while cutting the budget for the elderly. The budgetary reform committee was comprised of researchers and politicians. Politicians understood that reform was necessary and pushed it through, though it meant a loss of their political power.
This study suggests that to promote early-life defamilialization through childcare and education, pension reform is necessary and employment among the elderly should be facilitated. It asserts that the concept of defamilialization must be broadened and that education, work, and welfare policies should be comprehensively considered across the life course.

Free Research Field

福祉社会学