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THE ROLE OF DESERVINGNESS PERCEPTIONS IN SHAPING PUBLIC
ATTITUDES TOWARDS WELFARE STATE POLICIES ACROSS
EUROPEAN COUNTRIES
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Overview of Welfare State policies
The welfare state system, being a defining element of social leadership in
European countries, is intended to maintain the gap between social values, ensure
social security, and foster economic regulation. The difference in faith among workers
started from the common cause of workers' rights. Therefore, these policies had to be
targeted at a number of interventions including government unemployment funds,
healthcare provisions and pensions that were meant to secure the lives of citizens from
low to high income groups. According to Roosma, Gelissen and van Oorschot in their
work of 2013, the welfare attitudes issue is complex and comprises a variety of
components. Differences in opinions about the role and scope of welfare provisions
across European nations are apparent. Understanding welfare-state policies is a must
have for these purposes, namely, for the analysis of the role of welfare-state policies in
the functioning of society, consideration of how individual wellbeing depends on these
policies, and assessment of public sentiments toward them. The social cohesion and
economic security ensured by the European welfare state policies across the European
countries become the key instruments for creating a synchronized development in the
whole region. The scope of these policies ranges from providing unemployment
benefits, healthcare, and pension funds all to the aimed result of guaranteeing the well-
being of citizens, and ultimately countering such socio-economic inequalities. Ramos,
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Gelissen, and van Oorschot (2013) stress the complexity of the welfare attitudes across
the European nations, pointing out the range of opinions on whether welfare is limited or
even should not exist at all, highlighting the variability of attitudes towards the place of
welfare. Such diversity is a clear indication of the historical, cultural and political
backgrounds in which welfare policies get framed. The abilities to relate to the subtle
nuances of welfare state policies are important aspects of another side of the coin to
comprehend the impact on the dynamics of the society and individual well-being.
Through offering social protection and enhancing economic stability, the welfare policies
are the ones that contribute significantly in shaping the quality of life of citizens and in
making the societies more inclusive for all. Besides, considering the public perspective
as regards to the welfare policies is a valuable track of measuring the effectiveness of
these policies and detecting their shortcomings Through cross-fertilizing ideas and
promoting dialogues, policymakers can be confidentes that welfare state policies will be
in tune with the ever-evolving needs of society and will stay in line with principles of
social justice and fairness.
1.2 Public attitudes being so significant.
Public perception of welfare state policies forms one of the most influential
contingencies in the decision making processes and approaches. Reeskens and van
der Meer (2019) gave survey data as an example of research that can be done to study
preferences of redistribution, observing that public opinion matter as it is the driving
force behind redistributive policies. These attitudes are made up of many aspects such
as the cultural norms, political ideologies, and the socio-economic conditions, and they
make a very significant contribution as far as the level of public support for welfare
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programs is concerned. Slootjes and Kampen (2022) have considered society's
viewpoint on immigrants' ability to socially benefit by digging deeper into the
complexities that surround welfare eligibility criteria and the integration of the
marginalized individuals. Recognition of the public opinion affect will greatly assist the
policy makers when they are designing and implementing most efficient policy
frameworks that will be supported by majority and improve cohesion. The relationship
between people’s opinions about the welfare state policies and policy decisions and
implementation techniques constitutes a powerful force. Reeskens and van der Meer
(2019) note that survey data can help in understanding the policies concerning
redistribution, thus, public opinion plays a great role in gauging distribution of income.
These attitudes are molded differently by such factors as cultural norms, political
ideologies, and socio-economic conditions, and they definitely are a determining factor
as to whether the general public support the welfare provisions. Furthermore, the article
by Slootjes and Kampen delves into the minds of public with regards to immigrants'
access to social citizenship rights and the complexities of attitudes towards inclusion of
welfare eligibility criteria. The research results emphasize that it is very complex public
sentiment is towards welfare state policies and that policymakers face up to different
perspectives and a challenge. The necessity of considering public opinion's impact as
well as the policymakers engaged in developing and implementing the welfare state
policies is critical. Policymakers can gain legitimacy of welfare provisions if they take
into consideration concerns of public sentiments and respond to them.
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1.3 Acknowledgment of a greater importance of deservingness perceptions.
An ever-increasing evidence base suggests that the deservingness where a
person stands in community support system greatly influences people’s attitudes
towards the policies of the welfare state. Deservingness judgments are the set of
preconceptions concerning what people are entitled to receive, as well as the
preconditions of awarding welfare provisions. These perceptions are linked to the
notions of the philosophers in society, and moral principles and ultimately, they affect
how stakeholders decide to access resources and who is eligible for social sanctions.
Raa, Gelissen, and van Oorschoot (2013) discovered that having a multidimensional
perception of welfare attitude is not strange as it involves not only concern with
deservingness of the beneficiaries, but also other factors. Roeland Slootjes and Mark
Kampen (2022) direct their attention to public perceptions on how immigrants are
granted rights to social citizenship, specifically how belongingness is linked to social
inclusion and exclusion in those welfare systems. It should be stressed that the
deservingness perceptions component is highly important in variations in the public
opinion regarding social policy and also in informing the efforts to build up social
solidarity and the equitable distribution of resources in Europe. The deservingness is a
concept that makes the public view of welfare state's policies being filled with sympathy.
The cultural standpoint and societal values which a person ascribes plays a major role
and is among the factors that shape an individual's viewpoint on the deservingness of
people and the condition under which welfare provisions should be received. These
perceptions more often than not influence the choice of the government to channels
resources and also consideration of the criteria set for social benefits. More importantly,
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Roozma, Gelissen and van Oorschot (2013) articulate how multi-faceted attitudes
towards reducing welfare are, specifically that the deservingness is just one of its
dimension. Their research, however, is an indication of the complexity involved in
formulation of public opinion on issues related to social welfare policies. Moreover,
Slootjes and Kampen (2022) illustrate paradoxically that deservingness perceptions
closely align with ideas of inclusion and exclusion, specifically about the involvement of
immigrants in social citizenship. Each society is complicated when it comes to
sensitivities, as many of them can perceive things as undeserving.
2.0 Theoretical Framework: Deservingness Theory
2.1 Definition and major points.
Illegal immigrants may disagree with the idea of deservingness theory, they
probably would have a different perception of who they think deserves social benefits
and in what circumstances. Van Oorschot (2006) investigates cultural and institutional
factors that influence perceptions of deservingness among citizens of European
welfarism; therefore, he emphasizes the role of these two factors in defining the groups
of people willing to accept social support in these countries. The theory argues that
evaluations of fairness are affected by norms of society, cultural traditions, and people's
expectations of work and contribution. In addition, deservingness perceptions are not
fixed rather they vary over time depending on the effect of social, economic and political
dynamics which are constantly evolving. Van Oorschot and Finsveen (2022) explain in a
comparative way the opinion of the public about migrants' entitle to benefits from social
programs in what seemingly might be a very abstract subject of debate, achieving a
concrete image of political processes of immigration and social welfare. This theory is
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instrumental to modify the thinking process of Europeans with regard to deservingness
judgments and even get insight into the complexities of social attitudes and policy
preferences within European welfare states. Desservicist theory is a practical tool for
understanding the judgment from the standpoint of observers, deciding who deserves
the welfare benefits and in what way. Oorschot refers to van (2006) when commenting
on the basic role played by culture and institutions in creating perceptions about
deservingness in European welfare states citizens. The theory contends that
deservingness decisions are dependent upon the extent of societal norms, cultural
values and of how much credit is attributed to individuals due to their efforts. To begin
with, an individual’s view concerning this situation is not static and can be modified
depending on the historical, social, economic, and political conditions. Oorschot and von
finsveen (2022) broaden this awareness through a contrastive study of citizens' views
on the migrant's entitlement to social benefits. The assumption of these psychology
professors is that deservingness aspect contributes significantly in deciding people’s
attitude towards such immigration-related issues as they do to welfare-related issues.
Through the examination of the basis of deservingness judgement, the theory directs us
to the probing social attitudes and policies in the European welfare states.
2.2 Social policy employment.
According to the theory of deservedness, it lays crucial foundations for public
policy making of welfare states in the European Union. Through the lenses of cognitive
biases and the social groupings, Aarøe & Petersen (2022) provide us with an insight
into the link between intergroup prejudice and belief updating and policy attitudes.
Principles of deservingness represent the core of what and who is determined eligible or
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not, and for how many resources people can get in the social welfare system. The
policy-makers must take into consideration the fact that the goal is to stand for all the
citizen’s rights by providing social protection and the policy-makers must also
considering public concerns of fairness and deservingness. Van Oorschot (2006) claims
the importance of understanding people's ideas of deservingness because these ideas
shape the way citizens support the redistributive policies of the state and which welfare
state policies the citizens are most confident in. Through integrating the worthiness
prerequisites into policy arrangements of governments, the authorities may be in a
position to boost the legitimacy and efficacy of social policies, thus creating the social
cohesion and the mutual sense of responsibility between the diverse groups of the
public Deservingness theory encompasses the topic of designing and implementing
social programs in European welfare states at large. Aarøe and Petersen (2022) carried
out research into cognitive bias and between group-relations; it helps to understand how
intergroup prejudice affects judgment of the events in the world and the political
opinions. In this setting of reference, the notion of deservingness becomes practical
determinants of benefits to be received and resources to be distributed in the social
welfare programs. The need for politicians to strike a balance between the portent of
providing social protection for all and mean test for public perception becomes an issue.
In his work (2006) van Oorschot makes clear the importance of understanding citizens'
perceptions based on their deservingness. He shows that these views make an
impression on people's attitudes towards welfare state politics and the degree of their
support for redistributive measures. A government should ensure that the inclusion of
deservingness criteria into policy making processes helps in enhancing the legitimacy
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and efficacy of social policies, thus producing social cohesion and unity amidst the
diverse community.
2.3 Changing cultural customs of interpreting information.
In our times, the current interpretations of the information and merit perceptions
are markedly modified by the emerging cultural traditions and general mix of the society.
Van Oorschot and Finsveen (2022 's paper sheds light on the comparative explanations
in the support or maneuvering for migrants’ entitlements, it gives an understanding of
how culture and institutions give judgments of deservedness. With the growing world
humanizing, interconnected and multicultural societies, people's perspectives on who is
eligible for social benefits can be significantly altered by these changing norms and
values. Through their article “Cultural Contexts and Social Bias: A Study on the
Cognitive Biases and the Intergroup Prejudice which affect Belief Updating”, Aarøe and
Petersen leave us with a clear perception on how cultural settings shape the social
perspectives and policy preferences. In an ever-more interconnected world where
information flows freely and cultural inputs widen, the impact these interactions play on
people is especially evident. The altering cultural norms and the social structure pose a
challenge authority on the budget and at the same time, it is an opportunity for them to
make policy. On the one hand, they are process-oriented in the way they build
communities of individuals who work together to find solutions to mitigate social
problems and change public opinions. It must be understood by policymakers, so that
the policies which are created, take into account the evolution of the society, which is
required in order to ensure that the policies are still relevant and effective in meeting the
needs of the diverse societies which are currently being faced (Van Oorschot &
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Finsveen, 2022). Moreover, these inconsistencies often to encourage social bonds and
greater social cohesion. Addressing cultural pluralism effectively needs the use of
diversity and inclusivity in policy making and implementation where governments can
utilize the potential of cultural pluralism to build stronger social solidarity and more
resilient communities (Aarøe & Petersen, 2022). By bringing awareness of evolving
cultural trends into the policymaking process, governments can create social policies
that are sensitive to the different cultural values and beliefs of today's citizens, hence
bringing about a more unified society where people share the same goals and
obligations.
3.0 Empirical Evidence from Surveys
3.1 The European Social Survey (ESS) data.
The European Social Survey (ESS) expect remains a major finder of
experimental-based information on overseas perceptions of deservedness across
varied European countries. Within the boundaries of their elaborate investigations,
scholars for instance Busby, van der Veen, and van Oorschot (2021) employ multilevel
models to plunge into the complex cultural background of deservingness perceptions
which brings forth the intricate joint influence of national and individual-level factors in
the formation of attitudes towards welfare support. Once in hand researchers can
advance their knowledge from the rich ESS data about diverse complexities of
deservingness beliefs that are present in different socio-economic contexts. Through
this empirical investigation, we can get familiar with the both sides of factors that
determine citizens’ endorsement of the redistributive policies. Through mining this vast
seam of information, experts and policy makers are in a position to identifiy the broad
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patterns and trends in attitudes to deservingness in the European societies which, as a
result, add depth and direction to the policy debates and offer a basis for the social
engineering practices aimed at reducing social division and cultivating altruism in
Europe. The ESS (European Social Survey) is a precious tool in the empirical
investigation of perceived deservingness across the European states because it allows
us to get a deeper insight and make objective comparisons. Through the endless toils
and sophistication, researchers like Busby, van der Veen, and van Oorschot (2021) use
multi-level techniques to examine the cultural context of meritocracy, afterwards availing
vital information on the complicated dinamics that contribute to attitudes towards the
provision of welfare. by exploiting a cross-social connection between the interpretations
of deservingness among various group settings at the basis of ESS dataset,
researchers gain a holistic perspective on the diversity of the relevant perceptions. This
empirical study will fruitfully uncover plethora of variables that influence public support
for redistributive policies, and avail a robust supply of knowledge for the polity makers
drawing in complex welfare politics. Tackling inability bias will require a
multidimensional approach which will be possible only if scholars and policymakers can
detect patterns and trends in these attitudes through the data gathered with the help of
ESS, and then apply this evidence-based knowledge to striving to strengthen social
cohesion and solidarity within European societies.
3.2 The European Values Study also provides results.
European Values Study (EVS) together with the European Social Survey (ESS)
are noteworthy sources for exploring the attitudes towards deservingness and solidarity
respectively among different European nations. In their latest research, Castro and
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Salinas (2021) combine the EVS dataset to analyze the association between
attributions of deservingness and citizens' support for welfare programs in Spain, giving
insights about this complex relation. Meticulous analysis of the data is essential to gain
access to all the information about the personal values, faith and political views of the
participants so that we can comprehensively investigate the factors contributing to the
public opinion creation on the important social issues (Calzada & Del Pino, 2021). Such
comparisons are possible due to the common ground (cultural and ideological
perceptions) which researchers and policymakers draw from these studies. Therefore,
the cross-national analysis leads to the further development and enrichment of
academic discussions as well as the improvement of public policies. Moreover, the EVS
dataset is a distinct context with variegated aspects of deservingness and solidarity
which different European countries possess. The study by Calzada and Del Pino (2021)
shows the added value of EVS data in powerfully unmasking the "hidden" complexities
of public attitudes toward redistribution. By analyzing people's value and viewpoint, the
EVS dataset can generate a deeper and more complex picture of the elements that
shape opinions on welfare about the problems. This systemic way gives the ability for
the researchers to make a comparison between countries to see not only the
similarities, but also the differences regarding the attitude of deservingness across the
different socio-economic and cultural contexts (Calzada & Del Pino, 2021). Therefore,
planners as strategists can take these into account in order to design customized
measures which will be adjusted to the needs and inclinations of the different European
groups and consequently will promote solidarity and integration in society.
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3.3 The ISSP outcomes
The International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) is no doubt a key note
instrument which helps us to improve our knowledge of deservingness perception in the
very complicated structure of the Swedish welfare state. Demker (2022) studies, in
detail, the deservingness mindset, gender being the main component that affects
opinions on eligibility for social benefits in Sweden. The ISSP data gives the
researchers an opportunity to cross-nationally study social attitude and behavior
dynamics. As a result, they are able to gain as well as analyse the complexities in the
welfare state policies and preferences. In the final part of the paper scholars can go into
details of how deservingness attitudes are associated with diverse factors of identity,
like gender, ethnicity and social status by doing a thorough study of ISSP outcomes
(Demker, 2022). Through this exploration the participants will get to learn the deeper
reasoning behind the dynamic nature of welfare states and also understand the existing
inequalities within the European societies. the ISSP dataset can thus provide a
multifaceted puzzle that could be solved by researchers to unravel the intricacies of
deservingness attitudes in the Swedish welfare system. analyzing the ISSP report,
researchers can demonstrate how gender coexists with other social identity traits in
defining people's perceptions of deserving social benefits. This method is much more
than just the simplification of deservingness attitudes, for it also shows the relationship
between the welfare state preferences and policy orientations on the larger scale
(Demker, 2022). The cross-national dimension of the ISSP facilitates comparisons
which show what are the similarities and differences among attitudes towards
deservingness in different socio-economic and cultural situations. This kind of detailed
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information on welfare state regimes and existing social inequalities provides a broader
view on the causes and consequences of social inequality.
4.0 Country-Specific Studies Across Europe
4.1 The welfare benefits that are earned by the Nordic countries.
Recapitulations of the past investigative research in different European states
has brought the social welfare systems of Nordic countries under the spotlight, which
are overwhelmingly highly commended for their meticulous social care provisions. The
study that stands out from among these papers is the one carried out by Finseraas and
Kopczuk (2022), which discusses fairness and the degree of support for redistribution
especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is the study that gave a great deal of
information about the Nordic social model that is famous because all people have equal
opportunity to access social benefits and strong social protection system. To this end,
researchers, taking advantage of the opportunities presented by research, seek to
unpack the complexities of the Nordic welfare state, and determine its impact on social
cohesion, as well as its success in redistributing income to the poor (Finseraas &
Kopczuk, 2022). Through an examination of how the members of society view
redistribution as well as the perception of deservingness against the backdrop of the
Nordic model, the scholars can measure the success of social policies towards unity
and equality among the society's members. This is about understanding the matter of
how people view the fairness of redistribution mechanisms and whether they are ready
to serve the same. Furthermore, comparative analyses, as one of the tools, are crucially
significant since they help to distinguish the specific features of the Nordic model from
those in the other European countries in the welfare state model. Thus, by conducting
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such comparative assessments the scholars can contribute to the fundamental
principles and mechanisms that ensure the resilience and effectiveness of Nordics
welfare system (Finseraas & Kopczuk, 2022). On top of that, such studies look into how
Nordic welfare policies generate other social goals e.g. Economic growth, Social
cohesion etc., which helps in making wise policies and builds sustainable systems of
welfare throughout Europe.
4.2 European nations from the West studied.
Nationwide-tailored surveys from the Western European countries provide us of
the details of views on welfare policies as well as the views of deservingness. In their
thorough scrutiny, Gingrich and Häusermann (2021) meticulously set up the disparities
in deserving views and the conditional nature of solidarity inside different welfare
regimes. Their studies feature the subtly different features in welfare entities and public
attitudes towards social help within the western Europe, this is a proof of the regional
uniqueness characterised by the distinct social policy and public aid pronouncements.
Through the exploration of the particular circumstances of individual states, researchers
are able to comprehend more profoundly how historical, cultural and institutional factors
determine an people’s attitude tards welfare state policies (Gingrich and Häusermann
2021). Through these studies, the system's intricacies that range from providing welfare
to addressing social insecurities in the Western European welfare systems, which hold
a variety of approaches, can be unraveled. Through examination of the data collected
by these studies, researchers are able to observe the patterns of public opinion about
different welfare policies that become evident. Such empirical evidence is the major
basis for informing policy discussions and decision-making processes that seek to
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address the questions of how social solidarity is achieved, how poverty is tackled and
how income redistribution occurs in Western Europe (Gingrich & Häusermann, 2021).
Besides, by awareness of different variety of welfare state regimes in performance and
public perceptions cross the countries of the world, policymakers can pinpoint
interventions and reforms which will be more responsive and effective, thus, will enable
welfare systems to address social inequalities and promote well-being. Striving to
analyse and interpret data in a systematic manner, the researchers delve into the
intricacies of various factors that are diversifying welfare politics in the Western part of
Europe. Through this process academic debates are enriched, bringing about practical
results that can be used to support making evidence based policymaking and as well
informing the development of more egalitarian state policies across the region (Gingrich
& Häusermann, 2021).
4.3 The impact of these perceptions on Central/Eastern Europe will be discussed.
The specification of deservingness, which is fond of the Central and Eastern
European region, becomes more attractive within the recent welfare state studies as a
consequence of the unique region's socio-political context and its historical past. The
comparative work of Guo and Kou (2020) on the different attitudes of Chinese citizens,
especially between urban and rural populations, presents a lot of recovery points that
could be useful for the understanding of deservingness perceptions in Central and
Eastern European states undergoing the same socio-economic transitions. Different
contexts may hold different aspects, but the core of deservingness judgments and
payouts of social assistance programs often share common characteristics that can be
traced back to cultural norms, political ideologies, and institutional structures (Guo &
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Kou, 2020). Researchers can profit by applying the learnings from studies in China.
Their knowledge of the subtle interconnections between these factors and their impact
on Welfare Policies attitudes in Central and Eastern Europe will be deeper. The
countries that constitute Central and Eastern Europe, having undergone major socio-
political transformations in the latest years, are not simple cases in which the attitude of
deservingness gets shaped as a result of the historical experience, the post-communist
heritage, and the contemporary socio-economic hardships (Bartlett & Bochel, 2020).
Such views about deservingness need a complex analysis in this context because one
has to look at both structural and individual factors that might create such perceptions
(Bartlett & Bochel, 2020). Insights that come from carefully executed comparative
studies, like Guo and Kou (2020) study of China, can provide relevant guides for the
understanding of the deservingness perception and the identification of the ways for the
promoting of social cohesion and equitability development. The exploration of
deservingness perceptions in Central and Eastern Europe allowed to investigate the
convergence of the socio-economic transition, political ideologies, and welfare state
reforms (Guo & Kou, 2020).
5.0 An Individual Level Influence in Conception.
5.1 Those with advantage of wealth, financial resources, and property
Heuer et al. (2021) is an in-depth investigation of the complicated mechanism of
social-economic status in Germany among welfare recipients and their perception of
deservingness for social security. The specific research provided a detailed analysis of
such literary devices as the wealth and financial resources of individuals and their
ownership of property as well as how these play a part in the attitudes of those receiving
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welfare help. Their research showed a clear pattern that individuals that have more
advantages in an economic domain tend to consider themselves more worthy of any
benefits from the government contrasted with other receivers that are viewed as less
deserving, especially if they are not perceived as having made any contribution to
society. This micro-level power of the economic advantage is a strong sign of the way
the economy shapes the feeling of entitlement to welfare as indicated by one of the
scholars (Heuer et al. 2021). Empirical findings highlight the intricate inner workings of
attitudes towards welfare, which demonstrate that social class has tremendous
influence over the evaluation of fairness with respect to the provision of welfare and
redistribution of income. Attention is further drawn to the significance of socioeconomic
status as a determining factor in the way welfare policies are viewed and it
subsequently renders a propitious direction for the setting up of social welfare systems
that are more equal and inclusive (Heuer et al., 2021). Recognition of the effect of
economic privilege on the perception of deserving among the leaders is inevitable to
design interventions that target the structural limitations to social-economic progress
and call for a more egalitarian society. By admitting that these issues exist, we can then
build the policy framework that is aimed at removing the inequalities while ensuring the
social cohesion as well as the fair distribution of the welfare benefits (Heuer et al.,
2021).
5.2 Political Ideology's role investigated.
Through his in-depth investigation (Kootstra, 2022), Kootstra exposes the
complex interplay of political ideology and community’s views on the welfare state
values and policies and opens our eyes to the multifaceted dimension of public opinion.
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For instance, his study demonstrates exactly this how the ideological orientations of
individuals become the filters through which they see the benefit recipients which,
consequently, shape their views towards the welfare. For conservative viewpoints, they
are mostly inspired by principles of being self reliant and responsible; this has led to a
narrative where welfare beneficiaries are portrayed as undeserving or unmotivated
(Kootstra, 2022). It follows that this opinion views poverty as a moral problem due to
which it is not possible to view it as the result of systemic inequities. It gives birth to
negative stereotypes which prevents the members of society from cognition of the poor.
While conservative stances, based on principles like social justice and solidarity, tend to
be more supportive of welfare provision, seeing it as one of the key instruments of
social equality and poverty reduction (Kootstra, 2022), liberal ideologies, guided by the
very same principles, typically exhibit more positive attitudes towards welfare provision
as well. Liberals usually speak out in favor of an extensive social protection programs
aimed at such people as disabled people, elderly and others. They always try to
maintain balance and justice in society. By emphasizing collective accountability and
empathetic aid, liberal ideas tend to work for the emergence of cohesive societies in
which all people have a chance to access means and opportunities. Political ideology is
a very important factor that would describe individual ideas about welfare and this would
give help to researchers in gaining critical understanding of the political ideology behind
public perceptions and policy preferences (Kootstra, 2022). The fine-tuned standpoint
plays a crucial role in the ideological split resolution process among lawmakers who are
out to construct welfare policies with an array of constituents in mind. Through spotting
the role of political ideology in the attitude towards social security, the policymakers find
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ways of building consensus, social cohesion and an equitable welfare system which
accounts for the multiple points of view of the society.
5.3 Personal experiences/values discussed
Personal experiences and values which very much matter appear to be these
determinants of deservingness perceptions and attitudes towards welfare beneficiaries,
according to the research of Kulin et al. (2022), which they build on the data from the
European Social Survey. This study examines whether normative views on deserve in
welfare have been altered, detailing shifts in the attitude as a result of the given period.
Some people may develop more empathy with others who either overcame the
difficulties themselves or received social assistance in the past. They may have the
perception of the beneficiaries as deserving people to be helped (Kulin et al., 2022).
This direct experience thus refines their vision, giving birth to the understanding and
sensitivity of the people in charge. Moreover, values and social norms pinpoint a
profound place in individuals' deservingness perceptions, with societies having different
degrees of concentration on individual responsibility versus solidarity (Kulin et al, 2022).
In some nations the self-belief may be admired and the others the community support
systems may be favoured. By exploring personal experiences and values, researchers,
thus, disentangle the multitude of factors that constitute a base for one's standpoint on
welfare policies revealing the complex web of underlying elements (Kulin et al., 2022).
This awareness is important for both the opportunities to design policies which fulfill the
multiple social views and strengthen social solidarity in the welfare state. Recognizing
the variety in experiences and values that make up justice conceptions helps
policymakers create inclusive and flexible legislation that have diverse approaches in
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order to accommodate societal needs while promoting empathy and togetherness within
the population. As policy makers are enabled to be more aware of personal narratives
and cultural contexts, they will be able to traverse the complexities of policy design and
implementation, ensuring that welfare programs are able to adequately respond to the
needs of the people, and also gain widespread support from various segments in the
society.
6.0 Contextual Factors Shaping Perceptions
6.1 Welfare state regime type
Character or type of a welfare state impacts strongly the questions of who the
deserving are and public attitude toward social assistance programs, one of the most
studied phenomena in the social science by Laenen, Rossetti and van Oorschot (2019).
Their promotion of the fact that qualitative research is the best way to uncover
contextual factors associated with welfare regime types is an example of the recognition
for the importance of context in understanding deservingness theory. Whatever model
of welfare states is adopted, whether considered liberal, conservative or social
democratic, signify the core of the social policies and are responsible for the wide-
spread values and norms, which determine the perceptions of who is worthy of help.
Seeking for elaboration, van Oorschot (2006) reveals that the welfare state regimes
have a significant impact on the area of deservingness judgments among citizens and
the concept tend to be different in various welfare regimes. In liberal welfare systems,
for instance, deservingness is often linked to individual accomplishment and self-
reliance. On the other hand, in a case of a social democratic regime, collective solidarity
and universal social benefit may have more role . Furthermore, the differences in the
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welfare state regimes result in the diversification of resource allocation including
eligibility requirements for the social benefits, which ultimately shapes the public opinion
of the society about those people who are worth assistance under what circumstances.
The focus of the study is to investigate the effects of the different welfare state regimes
on the notions of deservings which will, in turn, show the ways in which the legal
frameworks determine the public opinions around the social benefits and redistribution.
Through qualitative studies, researchers can unravel the intertwinement of welfare
regime characteristics, social values and the ideas of the deservedness complex, and
example having different implementations of welfare systems support different welfare
views. Through these holistic knowledge of welfare states offers more options to aid
policy making focusing on the specific contexts of the different welfare state regimes
whereby what is politically legitimized and welfare policies are well fit with the
perceptions and aspirations of the country’s citizens regardless of the socio-political
landscape.
6.2 Economic situation`s impact studied
A great number of deservingness perception of welfare policies and attitudes
towards these policies depend on the way the economic landscape is shaped, a fact
that Meuleman, Chung, and Rahim (2021) proved. Their findings which highlighted the
role played by economic situations in shaping opinion on Syrian refugees who seek
shelter in Turkey are good examples of how issues of economic status impact on
people’s attitudes as well as social security programs. When the market is not
performing well or austerity is practiced, the people show the tendency to go against
welfare policies, which they perceive as an additional expense that the system cannot
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afford. However, in contrast to periods of economic recession, the idea of providing
social aid is viewed more positively by people in times of economic boom when the
attitude to support worthy individuals is more beneficial. The subtle analysis of the
interactions between economics and deservingness perceptions during times of
economic uncertain situation brings to light the hidden power dynamics behind the
welfare state. This process makes possible the search for approaches that will help to
blot out inequalities and build a well-knit society during troubling economic periods. In
addition, the economic conditions are not only a means of individual impact, but also the
basis of the common social narratives related to the policy of the welfare state. As
represented by Demker (2022), the economy determines the discourse on the
deservingness and providing welfare services in the Hungarian context. A crucial factor
of economic growth is a situation when society is more likely ready to provide high level
of social benefits during periods of prosper this might show solidarity and collective
responsibility. On the other hand, there is a view that economic crises cause disputes
about social welfare and who is deserving, with calls for stringent eligibility criteria and
austerity measures. economic cycles that usually give political lectures on welfare
policies and resource allocation could also be seen in the work of Guo and Kou (2020),
as they have done a research on attitudes of Chinese towards welfare beneficiaries.
During financial difficulties, the government may be faced with higher amounts of
pressure to make financial balances a priority again, suspending or cutting welfare
programs along with the creation of strict screening measures aimed at selecting
deserving or non-deserving individuals.
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6.3 The consequences of cultural and historical legacies examined.
Cultural and historical legacies with the same function and in Bulgarian case
explored by the Petzev (2022) more detailed through an investigation of Attitudes and
Welfare of minimum income recipients in Bulgaria. These results demonstrate how
things are complicated by the interaction between cultural and historical factors, and by
the perception of deservingness which emerges in the context of labour markets
characterised by precarity. Social norms, valued traditions, as well as historical
experiences serve as the foundation upon which people build their ideas about
members of society who are deserving of being helped and what circumstances grant
these people the right to be supported. Along with that, the historical events like
economic recessions or political strife can be the main factor in creating the society's
attitude towards welfare that can be reflected in the present time, thereby developing
the attitudes regarding whether somebody have a right to receive welfare benefits.
Besides that, the lasting effectiveness of prior social policies and institutional settings
impedes the specifications attached to current welfare provisions. According to the
studies by Kwon and De Jong (2022), historical welfare legacies do matter in fashioning
current-day opinion on the very deservingness and the state role of social insurance.
Through the investigation of the effects that cultural and historical pasts have,
researchers will be able to gain new useful knowledge which helps in understanding
that some present-day attitudes are influenced by previous policies and practices. This
in-depth knowledge is the next step towards the project aimed at raising awareness
about social inclusion and establishing equal access to social benefits for all members
of our society. Critical analysis of cultural and historical elements for policymaking and
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stake holding would enable the development of more effective policies to alleviate
disparities and promote a fair and inclusive welfare system.
7.0 Conclusion
7.1 Summary of the Findings
Using the multidimensional approach to the summarization of the research data
presented previously in this paper, one can clearly conclude that perception of morality
influences social attitudes towards social assistance programmes. Scientists using
detailed studies have exceptionally demonstrated how the connection between personal
values, situational factors, and the structure involved in the creation of people’s attitudes
towards deservingness is formed by using empirical data, theories, and local analysis.
Illustrating this point, Guo and Kou (2020) ran an in-depth exploration of Chinese
people’s perceptions of welfare recipients, hoping to find whether the transformation of
society and economy influence the attitudes towards welfare. Moreover, Kootstra's
(2022) study, which highlights the substantial connection between political ideologies
and the version of public representation as well as welfare attitudes, reveals that
orientations of political parties would be important factors that determine attitudes
towards welfare. As it is shown by the Laenen et al. (2019) qualitative research, the
deservingness theory in fact is very much difficult to grasp in full essence; therefore we
should focus on qualitative studies in order to better comprehend how welfare regimes
influence attitudes towards welfare distributions. As a whole, it is coming to a light that
these judgements are deep and uncover the complexity of deservingness assessments,
therefore, affecting a community's understanding of certain social issues. In this context,
the causes stem from the reciprocal relations of the economic conditions and ideologies
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and the world view and the societal welfare systems, such as the way in which these
dimensions are demonstrated by the finding that attitudes towards welfare and wealth
distribution are a multi-dimensional phenomenon. Meanwhile, these major concerns can
be considered by policy makers to allow for more detailed exploration of the issues,
which will enable them to put in place programs that promote equity, social cohesion
and inclusivity in the welfare states. This cooperation between the interdisciplinary
scholars and their systematic empirical investigations into this intricate network of
justification perceptions provides for these justifiable policies that are created to be
more efficient and fair.
7.2 Limits and future research
Although we have made considerable progress of worthy perceptions
assessment, there are some inherent constraints to it and a few future research paths
can be suggested. These doubts arise when the data, used to analyze the phenomenon
in question, is obtained from a survey, which has its own set of methodological
constraints. While surveys offer insight into public attitudes, they might highlight only the
simple aspects of deservingness perception and leave the detailed descriptions behind
(Calzada & Del Pino, 2021). One of the possible options is to undertake the research
using new research techniques such as mixed-methods approach that combines the
qualitative interviews with the quantitative surveys and experiments. The collaboration
of social scientists, psychologists, and anthropologists working interdisciplinary can
deepen the comprehension of deservingness perceptions, as they may bring to bear the
varied approaches to research. Furthermore, the complicated and situation-specific
process of deservingness attitudes requires a long-term investigation of and
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comparisons across different cultures. When tracking the changes that occur through
different societal contexts, and across time, the researchers can, thus, derive factors
that enhance the change in deservingness perceptions (Guo & Kou, 2020). Longitudinal
studies may give insight into how worsened or better economic environment, political
turning points, and cultural changes influence deservingness attitudes, but on a deeper
level, these studies reveal the mechanisms behind the change in attitudes. Additionally,
comparative studies between countries that operate differently in terms of their welfare
regimes and cultural norms will help in identifying the universal factor or the specific
ones for deservingness (Laenen, et al., 2019). These comparative studies provide the
possibility of discovering such universal patterns of deservingness perceptions as well
as solidarity attitudes which would provide the world of security in discovering factors
which shape society’s attitude in relation to a state solidarity in question. As well as
methodological and comparative studies, future inquests can examine whether or not
emerging issues are influencing people’s opinions on deservingness and how this
contributes to reforms in the welfare state. The technological rise, climate change, and
demographics transformation bring along new implications and prospects for welfare
policy (Demeker, 2022). Investigating the connection between these phenomena and
deservingness perceptions might be an interesting factor to encourage the development
of adaptive and resilient welfare policies helpful in meeting the changing modernized
society’s needs.
7.3 Concluding remarks – mammoth importance
In welfare state politics and policy-making, the determinators of deservingness
perception to be as important as the elements of society attitudes, decisions on policies
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and allocation of material resources. By means of thorough scientific probe, however, it
became obvious that the notion of deservingness held by the public is now recognized
as one of the key influences on public acceptance of social welfare programs. That is
why such programs are being shaped and implemented by using this point of view
across various socio-political environments. Research has shed the light on just how
deeply the deservingness of each individual in the society is rooted in the culture,
ethics, and the general community values, all these things mixed together create the
intricate picture that shows how much advantage people are granted or how much
justice is served. The study by Guo and Kou in 2020 provides an example of how shifts
in the social and economic systems result in changes in attitudes about welfare
recipients. Therefore, they argue that our reasoning for who is deserving or not is very
dynamic and is shaped by the current circumstances of society and the economy. Also,
the result from Kootstra, who in his paper from 2022, deduces the aspect of political
ideologies in shaping the welfare attitude, that unravels the multidimensional factors of
individual and ideological beliefs. laenen et al. (2019) using qualitative research provide
validity to the claim that the use of qualitative methodologies helps to unravel the
intricacies of entitlement theory, highlighting the often unexplored connection between
welfare type and opinions on welfare recipient entitlements. Making discoveries that
lead to a better understanding of these issues is rich and informative in the development
of the future social integrity of a society such as welfare states. Through an in-depth
analysis of deserving perceptions, a path becomes visible for building welfare state
systems that endorse universal principles of justice, solidarity, and human dignity, and,
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in tandem, support the growth of sound and fair societies amidst the continuous
transformation of the society, economy, and politics.
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