Growth dependency in the welfare state | Journal Paper

news | publications | March 18, 2024

Christine Corlet Walker, Angela Druckman and Tim Jackson
Ecological Economics | June 2024

Summary

Modern economies rely on economic growth for stability and prosperity. Further, periods of stagnation and recession are currently associated with poor health and wellbeing outcomes for citizens. However, 50 years of research indicates that this state of dependency is ecologically unsustainable. It is therefore critical that we better understand the growth dependency of our economies and welfare systems, and how to overcome it.

In this paper we first offer a working definition of growth dependency, clarifying its core dimensions. Next, taking the UK’s adult social care sector as a case study, we argue that growth dependencies emerge in the welfare state as a result of three distinct dynamics: 1) growth in manifest needs; 2) labour productivity growth; 3) the pursuit of economic rents.

Lastly, we propose a novel, sector-led framework for identifying, analysing and transforming growth dependencies. We make the case that the growth dependency of the welfare state is not inevitable, but is instead the product of specific social, economic and structural factors that can be disrupted and transformed, if we can find the political will to do so.

The article is available in open access format via the Science Direct website. If you have difficulties accessing the paper, please get in touch: info@cusp.ac.uk.

Citation

Corlet Walker, C, Druckman A and T Jackson 2024. Growth dependency in the welfare state – An analysis of drivers in the UK’s adult social care sector and proposals for change. In: Ecological Economics, Vol 220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108159

This post also appeared on the CUSP website. Image: courtesy of Owen Beard /Unsplash.