Contemporary Implications of Multiculturalism Policies for European Welfare States

The article discusses the impact that multiculturalism policies (MCPs) have on the contemporary European welfare state. Although the empirical data shows there is no positive correlation between the adoption of MCPs and an increase in social spending, there has been a noted increase in public concerns about the decline of the welfare state system due to their adoption and increased immigration. Rather than dismissing those concerns, the authors use them as a starting point in their discussion on the changes of the concept of social solidarity in the age of globalisation.
KEY WORDS: European welfare state, multiculturalism policies, immigration, social solidarity