Comparing Welfare Capitalism

Introduction

This book challenges the popular thesis of a downward trend in the viability of welfare states in competitive market economies.

Approaches and Analyses

With approaches ranging from historical case studies to cross-national analyses, the contributors explore various aspects of the relationships between welfare states, industrial relations, financial government and production systems. Building upon and combining comparative studies of both the varieties of capitalism and the worlds of welfare state regimes, the book considers issues such as:

Key Issues

the role of employers and unions in social policy

the interdependencies between financial markets and pension systems

the current welfare reform process

Conclusion

It sheds new light on the tenuous relationship between social policies and market economies and provides thought-provoking reading for students and scholars of Comparative Politics, Public Policy, the Welfare State and Political Economy.