Abstract

The essay carries out an itinerary among the basic principles of social protection in Italy and Spain, in a comparative perspective. In times of crisis, the universalism of social protection is strained in front of the twin challenge of economic and social sustainability of the proposed measures. Illegality damages market but mainly social relations, marginalizes the most vulnerable people, deprives citizens and workers of social protection, depower the competitiveness of an economic system in the global market. These social phenomena cause reactive and defensive strategies and also the downsizing of resources allocated to welfare. The illicit attitude, in this framework, is dealt with in a proper study, reasoning on the relation cause-effect that motivate the deviation from rules. Conclusively the author points out, in particular, that illegality reduces the rate of solidarity of both systems.