European Welfare Futures: Towards a Theory of Retrenchment / Edition 1

by Giuliano Bonoli, Vic George, Peter Taylor-Gooby

Overview

European Welfare Futures presents a clear and up-to-date analysis of developments in social policy in the main EU member states. It provides a systematic account of welfare retrenchment and assesses the competing explanations of this process. The authors provide convincing evidence for the view that an 'ever closer union' in social policy will require a much more difficult process than that which led to monetary union.

The book makes a major contribution to understanding how welfare policy in Europe will develop over the next few years. It offers an original and wide-ranging account of the forces affecting the direction of policy, and stresses the role of social and political institutions in explaining why countries differ.

European Welfare Futures will be essential reading for undergraduates, graduate students and scholars in social policy, sociology, political science, area studies and international relations courses. It will also be of great interest to policy-makers in the EU, especially in the areas of pensions, health, social care and unemployment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780745618111
Publisher:	Polity Press
Publication date:	05/18/2000
Pages:	200
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.61(d)

About the Author

Guiliano Bonoli is at IDHEAP, Switzerland.

Vic George is Emeritus Professor of Social Policy.

Peter Taylor-Gooby is Professor of Social Policy, both at Darwin College, University of Kent, Canterbury.

Table of Contents

List of Figures.

List of Tables.

Acknowledgements.

Introduction.

1. Explanations of the Growth of State Welfare.

2. New Directions in European Welfare Policy.

3. Globalization and the Welfare State.

4. Welfare Politics: The Narrowing of the National Conscience.

5. The Neo-liberal Argument for Welfare Retrenchment.

6. Squaring the Welfare Circle.

7. The Impact of Institutional Frameworks.

8. European Welfare Futures.

References.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

'[A] concise, clear introduction to western European welfare state developments ... This lucid book, which frequently includes the US in international comparisons, would work well in courses on welfare policy in several disciplines ... a very useful addition for a wide range of college libraries.' Choice

"Their analysis of each of these compelling and insightful-well worth the reader's attention." American Journal of Sociology

From the Publisher