1 Basic Framework of the Study 1
1.1 Social Policy and the Law-Preliminary Remarks 1
1.2 Purpose of the Study 4
1.3 The Reshaping of the Social Welfare System 5
1.3.1 Privatisation and Activation 5
1.3.2 Causes of Social Policy Changes 8
1.4 Legal Safeguards and Legal Security 10
1.4.1 Preventive Legal Security 11
1.4.2 Factors Affecting Legal Security 14
1.5 Effects of Work-Oriented Social Policies on the Position of the Recipient 16
1.6 Justification, Advantages and Disadvantages of Work-Oriented Social Policies 18
1.6.1 General Aspects 18
1.6.2 Reciprocity 19
1.7 General Remarks on Implementation 21
1.7.1 Law and Policy in an Administrative Context 21
1.7.2 The Point of View of the Individual 25
2 Active Social Policy and Individual Rights in Finland 29
2.1 Background 29
2.1.1 Main Features of the Unemployment Benefit System and the Social Assistance Regime 29
2.1.2 Evolution of the Activation of the Unemployed in Finnish Legislation 31
2.2 The Rehabilitative Work Activities Act 33
2.2.1 Activation Plan 34
2.2.2 Rehabilitative Work Activities 36
2.3 Implementation of the Rehabilitative Work Activities Act 37
2.3.1 Results of an Implementation Study 37
2.3.2 Three Discourses Influencing Implementation 39
2.4 Legal Safeguards Provided by the Activation Legislation 40
2.4.1 Effectiveness 41
2.4.2 Protective Elements, Penalties and the Right to Appeal 45
2.5 Legal Safeguards Provided by Other Legislation 51
2.5.1 Requirements for Decision-Makers 51
2.5.2 Requirements for the Decision-Making Process 53
2.5.3 The Implementation of Basic Rights and Social Rights as a Guarantee of Legal Security 60
3 Activation Measures and Individual Rights in Sweden 63
3.1 Introduction 63
3.1.1 General Remarks 63
3.1.2 Main Features of the Unemployment Insurance System and the Social Assistance System 65
3.2 Activation Connected with Social Assistance 67
3.2.1 Content of the Activation Obligations 67
3.2.2 Assessment of the Activation Reform 68
3.3 Conclusions 78
4 Activation Measures and Individual Rights in Denmark 81
4.1 Introduction 81
4.1.1 General Remarks 81
4.1.2 Main Features of the Unemployment Insurance System and the Social Assistance System 82
4.2 The Evolution of Activation Policies Targeting Recipients of Social Assistance 84
4.2.1 The 1993 Municipal Activation Act 84
4.2.2 The 1997 Active Social Policy Act 88
4.3 The Activation Legislation Now in Force 91
4.3.1 Active Jobseeking 91
4.3.2 Activation Measures 92
4.3.3 Sanctions 93
4.4 The Danish Activation Legislation and the Protection of Individual Rights 94
4.4.1 Problematic Features of the Activation Legislation 94
4.4.2 Legal Safeguards Protecting the Client 95
4.4.3 Effectiveness 97
4.5 Legal Security and Activation in the Three Countries 97
5 The Implementation Process and Individual Rights 99
5.1 Effectiveness 99
5.2 Participation and Empowerment 101
5.2.1 Delimitation of the Concept 102
5.2.2 Participation in the Legislation of Denmark, Finland and Sweden 103
5.2.3 General Remarks on the Right to Participation and its Implementation 106
5.2.4 Conclusions 111
5.3 Individualisation 111
5.4 Self-Determination 115
5.5 Participation, Individualisation and Self-Determination as Emancipatory Procedural Rights 118
5.6 Proportionality 119
5.7 Equality 121
5.8 Discretion 123
5.9 Concluding Remarks on the Implementation Process and Individual Rights 128
6 The Significance of Individual Rights and Ways to Promote Their Implementation 131
6.1 The Significance of Individual Rights 131
6.1.1 The Right to Social Services in Administrative Law 131
6.1.2 Social Rights Enjoying a Constitutional Status 135
6.1.3 Rights, Basic Values and Ethical Guidelines 137
6.1.4 Towards a Comprehensive and Inclusive Model of Implementation 140
6.2 How to Promote the Implementation of Individual Rights in Different Interactive Contexts 141
6.2.1 The Position of the Vulnerable Client 142
6.2.2 The Position of the Client Asserting their Rights(the "Assertive Client") 145
6.2.3 The Position of the (Alleged) Defaulter or Transgressor 145
6.2.4 The Position of the Recipient as Contributor to ("Participant" in) the Decision-Making Process 147
7 Conclusions 149
7.1 Three Perspectives on Individual Rights 149
7.2 Activation as a Political Project 150
Bibliography 155
Printed Material 155
Internet Material 168
Index 171