Digitalization and the reduction of bureaucracy are among the most recurring political promises. But what do these actually mean in concrete terms, and how do they affect the delivery of welfare state services? In this episode of the Political Pausen Podcast, Julia Schwanholz and Tanja Klenk discuss the ambivalences of what is often framed as a “magic concept.”
At the center is the question of why many people do not claim welfare benefits they are entitled to. The phenomenon of non-take-up points to structural barriers that are not automatically removed by digital access . In fact, they may even produce the opposite effect.
The conversation explores how administrative burdens shape access to benefits, and how information deficits, procedural complexity, and personal frustration contribute to non-take-up. It becomes clear that digitalization is not a panacea, but can also generate new forms of inequality.
A discussion about political promises, social participation, and how experiences with public administration shape trust in the state and democracy. Listen to the episode here: https://ppp.podigee.io/