Social Security System of Lithuania in Comparison with the Two European Union Member States

Abstract

Lithuania became a member of European Union (EU) family two years ago. It is a very young country, only sixteen years ago recovered from the Soviet Union and only now trying to build its own democratic Labour market and Social security system, which differs from the other EU countries. In comparison of social benefits (child, unemployment and old – age benefits), we took Lithuania and two other EU countries: the Netherlands and Portugal, because all these countries belong to the different types of welfare state: the Netherlands to Social – Democratic type, Portugal -Corporatist and Lithuania – Corporatist with direction to Liberal type. After research, we made a conclusion that financially the Netherlands get the highest benefits and Lithuania – the lowest. Historical, economical and social factors determine these differences. Therefore, according to our job, we can say that the level of demmodification in the Netherlands is high, in Portugal lower and Lithuania is very low. We also drew inference that people who get low benefits are enforced to come back to the labour market. Active or passive belonging to the labour market show the level of decommodification. According to used resources we see that high level of decommodification is in the Netherlands, medium in Portugal and the lowest – in Lithuania.