The Relevance of the Concept of the Social Market Economy: Concluding Observations on the Contributions in this Special Issue

Abstract

This article discusses the contributions of this Special Issue on the relationship between social and economic values and rights. It shows that the contributions are illustrative of the various ways in which the social market economy concept is, and could be, approached. In preparation for this Special Issue, several meetings and a work conference were organised, in which drafts of the contributions were discussed. However, this did not result in a uniform concept or uniform approaches. This diversity in viewpoints mirrors the different ways in which the concept of the social market economy can be perceived. There is no single, uniform approach, but a richness in diversity, hopefully deepening a common understanding of what the social market economy is. We expect that the contributions of this Special Issue are thus a valuable contribution to the debate on the meaning of the social market economy concept in the European Union. In this concluding article I compare the different approaches brought forward in the contributions, identify differences and similarities, and in this way show how the concept of the social market economy is useful to develop the various disciplines further. This interpretation is the sole responsibility of the author.

Keywords: social market economy, tension of social and economic rights, social rights, economic freedoms