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Western Welfare Capitalisms in Good Times and Bad
Western Welfare Capitalisms in Good Times and Bad provides an insightful appraisal of policy priorities and outcomes in four Western regimes: the Anglo-American liberal regimes, Southern European ‘proto-corporatist’ regimes, the historically social democratic Scandinavian regimes, and Western European conservative-corporatist regimes.
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Critical Acclaim
Contents
More Information
Western Welfare Capitalisms in Good Times and Bad provides an insightful appraisal of policy priorities and outcomes in four Western regimes: the Anglo-American liberal regimes, Southern European ‘proto-corporatist’ regimes, the historically social democratic Scandinavian regimes, and Western European conservative-corporatist regimes.
Challenging the assertion that Western regimes are converging towards a ‘lean and mean’ Anglo-American type of welfare regime, the authors demonstrate how policy priorities and outcomes in these four regimes remain distinctive. Chapters offer detailed analyses of a comprehensive set of policy outcomes including poverty, income and wealth inequality, gender inequality, personal autonomy, economic growth, economic security, and life satisfaction. The book ultimately finds that the historically social democratic Scandinavian regimes perform as well or better than other regimes in all policy domains, whilst continuing to prioritise their own egalitarian policy aims.
This fascinating book will be essential reading for scholars of political science, sociology and economics, as well as policy makers seeking to fully understand the complex dimensions of Western capitalism. It will also be valuable to those interested in comparing the differing responses of Western governments to two major crises of the 21st century: the Global Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Challenging the assertion that Western regimes are converging towards a ‘lean and mean’ Anglo-American type of welfare regime, the authors demonstrate how policy priorities and outcomes in these four regimes remain distinctive. Chapters offer detailed analyses of a comprehensive set of policy outcomes including poverty, income and wealth inequality, gender inequality, personal autonomy, economic growth, economic security, and life satisfaction. The book ultimately finds that the historically social democratic Scandinavian regimes perform as well or better than other regimes in all policy domains, whilst continuing to prioritise their own egalitarian policy aims.
This fascinating book will be essential reading for scholars of political science, sociology and economics, as well as policy makers seeking to fully understand the complex dimensions of Western capitalism. It will also be valuable to those interested in comparing the differing responses of Western governments to two major crises of the 21st century: the Global Financial Crisis and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Critical Acclaim
‘The book contains a wealth of data but is exceptionally clearly written so that readers do not become bogged down in figures [...] this book will provide an essential staring place for any more in-depth consideration of the impact of welfare states.’
– Mel Cousins, European Journal of Social Security
‘This book not only offers many statistical indicators that describe the social situations in the countries studied very well, but it also clarifies terms that often cause confusion. For example, it explains how the term “liberal” is used in different cultures.’
– Gert G. Wagner, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Germany
‘This book provides a comprehensive, comparative analysis of recent welfare state policies and achievements. Drawing on national and international data, the authors examine welfare policies and outcomes before, during and after the financial and Covid crises. The findings are innovative, compelling and at times provocative, but always engaging and thought-provoking. The book is essential reading for welfare state scholars, students and anyone interested in the recent socio-economic history of capitalist nations.’
– Peter Saunders, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
– Mel Cousins, European Journal of Social Security
‘This book not only offers many statistical indicators that describe the social situations in the countries studied very well, but it also clarifies terms that often cause confusion. For example, it explains how the term “liberal” is used in different cultures.’
– Gert G. Wagner, Max Planck Institute for Human Development, Germany
‘This book provides a comprehensive, comparative analysis of recent welfare state policies and achievements. Drawing on national and international data, the authors examine welfare policies and outcomes before, during and after the financial and Covid crises. The findings are innovative, compelling and at times provocative, but always engaging and thought-provoking. The book is essential reading for welfare state scholars, students and anyone interested in the recent socio-economic history of capitalist nations.’
– Peter Saunders, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
Contents
Contents: PART I WELFARE-CAPITALIST REGIMES: POLICY PRIORITIES AND POLICY OUTCOMES 1. What are governments for? 2. Worlds of welfare capitalism 3. International comparisons, international data PART II COMPARING POLICY PERFORMANCE. 4. The Global Financial Crisis: a crisis within the economic system 5. Reducing poverty and income inequality 6. Wealth inequality: the one that got away 7. Reducing gender inequality 8. Enhancing personal autonomy 9. Promoting economic growth and rising living standards 10. Promoting economic security and social stability 11. Enhancing life satisfaction: a shared priority? PART III A CURRENT CRISIS: COPING WITH COVID. 12 Coping with Covid: public health responses – the trade-off that didn’t exist 13 Coping with Covid: fiscal, monetary, labour market, welfare and environmental policy responses PART IV WESTERN WELFARE CAPITALISMS: CONVERGENCE OR CONTINUITY. 14. Welfare-capitalist regimes in the 21st century: still
delivering distinctive policy outcomes, little evidence of convergence Appendix 1. Ireland: a welfare-capitalist regime that defies
classification Appendix 2. Western welfare publics support the welfare state ‒ in principle References Index
delivering distinctive policy outcomes, little evidence of convergence Appendix 1. Ireland: a welfare-capitalist regime that defies
classification Appendix 2. Western welfare publics support the welfare state ‒ in principle References Index
