At present,inequality prevailing in Europe continues to rise, which has brought severe challenges to the economic and social stability and development of Euripean countries. In this context, reshaping the “social contract” has become a paradigm for crisis management for which all parties in Europe have great expectations in terms of restoring stability and order needed by the capitalist system. There are three aspects involved. The first is institutional reshaping, which is to establish a more just social development order; the second is political reshaping, which is to strengthen the responsibilities of the state and government; the third is value reshaping, which is to maintain labor value and related ethics under technological transformation. The various propositions for reshaping the “social contract” show from different perspectives that contemporary capitalist system is trapped in crisis, but due to the inherent problems of the capitalist system, the reshaping of the “social contract” cannot solve the various crises faced by European countries.

Editor: Zhong Yao、Zheng Yifan

From:World Socialism Studies.2023.No.1.