Social Europe: the post-Maastricht challenge.

In Europe as in the world, national economies are following divergent trajectories in their way out of the crisis of Fordism. Some rely on 'negotiated involvement of workers', others on the flexibility of the wage contract. This creates a centre-periphery type hierarchy between countries. Unfortunately the Maastricht treaty implies rules of the game which induce countries to shift towards the 'flexibility' solution. The text advocates some reforms that could induce a socially preferable general evolution, notably towards shorter labour-time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]