Recent years have witnessed the development of new attempts to conceptualize capitalist accumulation, including the maturation of ca­pitalist economies and their passing through stages of development. Focusing on the so-called Fordist period of capitalism, Kotz's com­parative analysis provides a survey of two present-day schools of thought – the Regulation Theory and the Social Structures of Accu­mulation schoo.

In her article introducing the social policy section of this issue the author who has a view on both the Western and Eastern social policies criticises those Hungarian and other East European ideas which idealize the western (capitalist) social policy models (that are far from being altruistic). She lets the reader sense that the cutting back of the "socialist" systems of provision with entitlements pro­vided on the basis of the right of citizens is a loss in the current limited circumstance.

All societies must satisfy the basic needs of its citizens, if it requires them to fulfill their duties. The regulatory role of the state cannot be expelled from social relations   anymore,   although  the  concrete means and ends of this regulation can change time after tim.

Problems of handling unemployment. The level of danger differs in different social groups. Gypsies are more endangered. The system of benefit in the world and Hungary. There is the danger of the social net of protection being broke.

One of the key issue of the social policy problems is the differences in living standards which are evidently increasing. This trend does not only have a negative impact on the general atmosphere and mood of the people but it is also a hindrance of the emergence of a modern market economy. The author discusses the changes of the structure of consumption and states that people with medium level incomes are waging a tough struggle against slipping down on the social scale but their retreat is evident.