Care for the Elderly in Spain during Democracy. New social risks, welfare modernisation and territorial politics

Abstract

This thesis highlights the importance of new social risks, welfare modernisation, and territorial changes on current welfare states. The interaction of these factors, which I have decided to label as “Tris Syndrome”, is fundamental pillar of this analysis. In this respect, this work investigates how the answer to one of these new risks namely, care for the elderly, has evolved in Spain within the context of the evolution of the Spanish welfare state and noteworthy transformations of the territorial structure of the country since the beginning of the democratic period (mid-70’s) to present. More precisely, this work poses the following questions: What factors have motivated change in the Spanish system of social services for the elderly, in the face of the apparent lack of mobilisation or demand from risk-bearers? What spurred the system to undertake radical reform following the authoritarian downturn, despite the fact that it is only very recently that care for the elderly has started to be defined as a challenge, and has taken a visible, but though timid, place on the political agenda? What have been the factors that have given voice to this “silent” demand? Why, despite the reforms undertaken, does the Spanish system of social (care) services for the elderly show comparatively little development in comparison with other countries and other areas of the Spanish welfare state? In relation to these issues, this thesis argues that the “Tris” has provided in Spain a scenario in which policy development has been simultaneously facilitated and constrained. It is thus possible to claim that the main push for welfare development in the real of policy under scrutiny and the answer to related new social risks (i.e. dependency), has mainly been a consequence of the will of regional political elites to mark out spaces of power, to achieve political and policy consolidation, not to lag behind others, and to solve institutional or structural problems in the area under regulation. These changes have taken place independently of the recognition of new social risks by policy-makers. In addition, when considering why this system and coverage among the population remains poorly developed, it is possible to signal the constraints posed by institutional factors and the strong influence that past policies have had on their development.