La centralidad de los criterios de merecimiento en la explicación de las actitudes hacia la condicionalidad de la política social

Abstract

Active labour market policies and social investment paradigm have promoted debates on the evolution of welfare states towards a greater social policy conditionality. This study explores the role of deservingness criteria and their interaction with self-interest and ideology to understand how people develop specific attitudes towards social policy conditionality. Conclusions are drawn through the analysis of existing literature and a public opinion survey from Catalonia that brings a unique opportunity to build an empirical strategy based on the theoretical distinction between deservingness criteria and social policy conditionality. The analysis demonstrates the explanatory power of deservingness criteria and how these interfere with self-interest and ideology. Findings are especially relevant for political communication.