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Introduction:

Since the American declaration of independency, and later the French revolution, people in general was introduced to have some importance when it comes to governance of a country, or even their own lives. Democracy was not established, but it was expressed that people have some rights, because they are humans, and not just because they have received some rights from a king or another kind of leader. The French revolution introduced &ldquo;libert&eacute;, egalit&eacute; et fraternit&eacute;&rdquo;, and the American declaration introduced the right to &ldquo;pursue own happiness&rdquo;. These developments led later on to the establishing of the parliamentary democracy in Europe and later other places.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Today freedom is generally accepted by all parts as an indisputable right and it has several derivatives like freedom of speech, religion, the right to gather etc. Although it has been challenged in the recent years, often with reference to threats from terror. Many demonstrations and protests have had this as their objective to protect the various rights of freedom.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Equality and community, or solidarity are more disputed &ldquo;rights&rdquo;. In fact they have only been practiced partly throughout the years, often in relation to socialist or social democratic governance. It seems that it is difficult, maybe impossible, to use these concepts in a governance context. The vast majority of countries today are capitalistic economies, and a capitalistic economy does not include equality or solidarity as a measurement for to succeed. It is profitable investments and growth.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
When the industrial societies developed in the last period of the 19<sup>th</sup> century and most of the 20<sup>th</sup> century, the concept of the welfare state was introduced. This mainly to avoid social conflicts, because people protested against inhuman conditions and low wages put upon them by the businesses. Later on it was widely accepted that the welfare state had a moral task to keep the societies together by supporting relatively fair conditions for all citizens. From the 1930es with the big economic crisis it also showed that public economic support to people in need could have a positive influence on the national economy. The Scandinavian welfare model is the most known example of this &ldquo;thinking in welfare&rdquo;, and is still used today as something to get ideas from.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Various welfare systems and especially the Scandinavian, are the most prominent examples of introducing the concepts of equality and solidarity into real politics. Not that they were carried fully, but it was, and is, discussed as values important for a society. The welfare systems, common solutions on social and economic matters, are under strong pressure today. The global market, liberalization, deregulation challenge any attempt to people or societies trying to organize to solve societal matters. The global market wants direct access to individual consumers, without specific social or economic contracts. That this will create inequalities and contradict a solidary thinking in the society is inevitably, or even good, for market.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
At the moment the public sectors in e.g. the industrialized world is lacking money to solve their tasks. At the same time it is obvious that especially big business pay a minimum of taxes if any. The current economic system makes it difficult, if possible at all, to have solidarity and equality as part of the fundament for a society. There are many reactions against this, especially amongst young people, but not only. The English professor Richard Wilkinson shows in his book on the issue that it is an advantage for a society to build on equality and solidarity. The 15<sup>th</sup> of May movement in Spain, the Occupy Wall Street movement, the protesters in Greece, parts of the Arab Spring, protests in Turkey, Bangladesh and China. The list is long showing that many people not just adapt to dictates from the global, capitalistic market forces and leave any influence to equality and solidarity to them.

Directive:

The task is set to 8 hours.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Read the introduction and the questions and make clear the overall aim of the task.<br />
Read the files. Use additional sources if you find it beneficial. The origin of additional sources must be noted for control.<br />
Comment: Files and data can be compared to the data from Eurostat.org<br />
&nbsp;<br />
Product: Discuss the question posed in the wording of the task in a group of three. Use the issues in the directives as background for the discussion.<br />
Conclude on the discussion, 3 pages.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
The issues to work with:<br />
NB: Read the files tagged &ldquo;a&rdquo; thoroughly and be inspired by the others.
<div style="margin-left: 40px;"><br />
1,&nbsp; &nbsp;File 1: The concept of equality.&nbsp; &nbsp;a) What is the qualities of equality and what<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;could be the price of inequality?</div>

<div style="margin-left: 80px;"><br />
Read the other articles and sum up the arguments for:<br />
Why the necessity or the benefit of equality according to the articles?<br />
Use the given examples and data.</div>
&nbsp;

<div style="margin-left: 40px;">2.&nbsp; &nbsp; File 2: The concept of solidarity as a pillar in nation building</div>

<div style="margin-left: 80px;">Read the articles and sum up the arguments for:</div>
&nbsp;

<div style="margin-left: 80px;">a) Discuss the threats towards the European welfare state and what could be<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;done?<br />
b) What is the importance or necessity of solidarity as a nation-building<br />
&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;concept? Refer to the given examples and data.</div>
&nbsp;

<div style="margin-left: 40px;">3.&nbsp; &nbsp;File 3: Policies promoting equality and solidarity<br />
&nbsp;</div>

<div style="margin-left: 80px;">a) What are the main arguments of Richard Wilkinson for a solidary society?<br />
<br />
Read the other articles and sum up the arguments:<br />
b) What is the situation for democracy and solidarity in todays Europe?<br />
c) How are the people impoverished/oppressed? Examples?<br />
d) What can we do about it, and what is done? Arguments.</div>
&nbsp;

<div style="margin-left: 40px;">4.&nbsp; &nbsp;File 4: Policies opposing equality and solidarity<br />
&nbsp;</div>

<div style="margin-left: 80px;">Read the articles and sum up:<br />
a) What are the main forces opposing equality and solidarity? How and why?<br />
<br />
Give examples and data from the articles:<br />
b) Are there examples/policies fighting these forces, eventually how?</div>

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