The Social Aspects of Economic Growth

The paper presents the more important social aspects of socio-economic development implemented in selected countries representing different models
the most liberal market economy (USA)
regulated market economy (Japan) and
social market economy in differing to a certain degree variants (Sweden, Holland, Germany).

Against the background of the allocation of market incomes, wages, incomes from capital and independent employment, between groups with lower incomes (three bottom deciles), average (four middle deciles) and higher (three upper deciles) the role of the redistribution of incomes by means of transfers and taxes in selected countries was presented. Its influence upon the essential but unequal change of the differentiation of disposition incomes formed as a result of transfer-tax redistribution was analyzed in comparison with the differentiation of market incomes, including on the shaping of poverty in the investigated countries. Subsequently the dynamics and differentiation of social transfers was discussed closer for persons in the age of ability to work: benefits from insurances connected with unemployment, invalidity, illness, accident and professional illness and motherhood, benefits from social aid programs and benefits of a family character. Among material social benefits the public health service was taken into consideration in the paper. On the basis of analysis of the allocation of market incomes, redistribution by means of transfers and direct taxes, material benefits of the public health service in the summing up the more important tendencies were formulated reflecting the essential differences in the implementation of the social aspects of socio-economic development of selected countries.