Social Policy as a Key-Productive-Factor of an advanced sustainable development

Abstract

In this article, I would like to discuss three main problems. Indeed, there are no particular problems but the whole complex of mutually connected ones. The first issue concerns the structural character of the current changes. The second issue concerns the peculiarity of globalisation’s process. The third issue concerns the great correction of the current development model. In my analysis, I stress the real turning point, consistent with the need for a significant correction of our understanding, approaches and policies. It took place in September 2015 at the UN General Assembly with the approval of the 2030 Agenda on sustainable development — a structured action plan with 17 Goals and 169 specific Targets. Namely, within this framework, social policy has been recognized as a primary, essential value, after decades in which this policy has been interpreted and relegated to a secondary function, a function to support economic activities, a simple cost that the state and businesses must cover to assist the weakest and most affected people by the production processes. However, for competitiveness and cohesion of a system, the fundamental point concerns an adequate interpretation of this key-word: “social”. The matter at this point is likely to become extremely complex.

Keywords

• sustainable development
• economic growth
• productive factors
• structural changes
• globalisation
• social inclusion
• poverty
• inequality