The main purpose of the book is the analysis of income inequality and poverty in a comparative context. The book contains articles on the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland and Russia under transition. Western European countries which are under consideration are: Belgium, Catalonia, France, Germany...

With the extension of its competence for social policy legislation in the Maastricht and Amsterdam treaties, the EU has adopted a significantly new social dimension in the past ten years. According to the Copenhagen criteria, the CEEC candidate countries have to adopt the former via the acquis...