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Family or State? Communitarian Perspectives on Economic Responsibility for Unemployed Youth

<p>At the beginning of the 21st century, youth unemployment is paid attention to by the Swedish government and media. A grand part of the unemployed youth live at their parents´ house because of economic reasons contrary to their primary goal to be able to make their own living. It can be argued that the young unemployed´ s social citizenship is inferior to working citizens´ social citizenship. The thesis will not deal with suggestions on practical solutions, but rather seek for theoretical answers to whether the responsibility for the young people referred to should be a responsibility of the State or of the family. Communitarianism is a relatively young theory which is interesting for this thesis because it sheds light on the dichotomy individual - community. There are different strands within the communitarian debate. I will deal with conservative, liberal and leftist communitarianism. </p><p>The classical leftist ideal of the communitarianist community includes rights and duties for the common good and is based on the assumption of people as social beings not being able or wanting to escape from the influence of her community. Liberal communitarianism, represented foremost by Will Kymlicka and Joseph Raz, is a theoretical strand coming up as a response on the (leftist) communitarianism. Also, a theory of conservative communitarianism, which´ s ideas date back to Aristotle, can be traced in the writings of Roger Scruton. </p><p>Conclusions reached are, simplified, as follows: Conservative communitarians are prone to let the parents take theresponsibility for their children. It is a natural consequence of their view of the society as an organic unity where family life and political affairs should be separated. Leftist communitarians and liberal communitarians are less apparent in their preferences. Stressing leftist communitarians´ emphasis of citizenship duties, the responsibility of the citizen indicates that state measures should not be the first tried solution. The family has an important role for leftist communitarianists but only as a link between the individual and the state. Liberal communitarians look foremost to the individual´ s own preferences concerning medium for a solution of the unemployed´ s situation. Family is not seen as a significant institution, unless it is accredited importance by its members.</p>

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA/oai:DiVA.org:liu-2053
Date January 2003
CreatorsThole, Sofia
PublisherLinköping University, Department of Management and Economics, Ekonomiska institutionen
Source SetsDiVA Archive at Upsalla University
LanguageSwedish
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeStudent thesis, text
RelationMagisteruppsats i Statsvetenskap, ; 2003:08

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