GLOBALIZATION, WELFARE STATE RESTRUCTURING, AND URBAN HOMELESSNESS IN GERMANY AND THE UNITED STATES

Abstract

Growing economic globalization has increased the numbers of poor and homeless people in most post-industrial societies, putting tremendous pressure on the corresponding welfare states. The United States has responded to these processes with neoliberal policies that dismantle and devolve the welfare state, causing harm to poor and homeless people. Germany, in contrast, has maintained a more comprehensive welfare state to support poor and homeless people despite severe economic pressures following unification and a more internationally connected economy. The purpose of this paper is to compare welfare-state restructuring in both countries in the context of the problem of homelessness. I argue that for reasons associated with its political system, ideology, and economy, Germany has, to date, resisted major welfare-state restructuring and is likely to continue to do so. This suggests that neoliberal policies are not the inevitable result of globalization, and therefore contestable policy decisions. [Key words: globalization, welfare state restructuring, homelessness, Germany, United States.]