Agne Lauzadyte-Tutliene,

Vilnius University,

Vilnius, Lithuania,

E-mail: agne.lauzadyte@gmail.com

WELFARE STATE IN CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE

Tomas Balezentis,

Vilnius University,

Vilnius, Lithuania,

E-mail: tomas@laei.lt

Egle Goculenko,

Vilnius University,

Vilnius, Lithuania,

E-mail: eglegoculenko@gmail.com

Abstract. This study aims at analyzing the existing welfare state models in Europe and investigating welfare regimes in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The hierarchical cluster analysis, employed in this study, revealed that five welfare state models can be distinguished in this region. The analysis also revealed that Central and Eastern European countries are too diverse to form a single cluster, and thus two models of the welfare state - the Eastern Europe welfare model and the Central Europe welfare model – could be distinguished. Meanwhile, while investigating the situation of Central and Eastern European countries in the more general European context, it was observed that Central European welfare model is closer to the old European countries, while the Eastern European welfare model is very different from all other models.

Received: October, 2017

1st Revision: January, 2018

Accepted: February, 2018

DOI: 10.14254/2071-789X.2018/11-1/7

JEL Classification: B55, D60 I38

Keywords: welfare state, Eastern Europe welfare model, Central Europe welfare model