scholarly journals Welfare State Development in Developing Nations: The Relationship between Organised Labour and International Organisations

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Md. Mahmudur Rahman Bhuiyan
Keyword(s):  
Welfare State ◽  
Developing Nations ◽  
World Society ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
International Organisations ◽  
Labour Movement ◽  
Power Resources ◽  
World Society Theory ◽  
Welfare State Development

This article examines welfare state development and welfare programming in the least-developed nations using the frameworks of power resources theory and world society theory. Power resources theory emphasises the role of organised labour in social policy reforms and distributional decisions, while world society theory focuses on the role of international organisations in welfare programming in developing nations. Through a case study focusing on Bangladesh, this article examines the relative importance of labour movement and international organisations in shaping social welfare policies and programmes in developing nations. While the study finds both theories relevant and useful in the context of developing nations, it suggests that international organisations are less likely to compensate for a weak labour movement in promoting labour rights and policy reforms that are friendly to the working class in those nations.

Every Epoch, Time Frame or Date that Is Solid Melts into Air. Does It? The Entanglements of Global History and World Society

2020 ◽  
pp. 25-42
Author(s):  
Mathias Albert
Keyword(s):  
Social Evolution ◽  
Turning Points ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
World Society ◽  
Global History ◽  
World Society Theory ◽  
Epochal Change ◽  
Big Events

This chapter explores the possibilities of a fruitful exchange between world society theory and global history approaches. It uses turning points in analyzing the quality of the accounts of the exchange and confirms whether these accounts of significant change can be linked to one another. It also mentions the unification of global history and world society theory in rejecting any obvious 'telos' of history. The chapter explains that in global history, the rejection takes the form of a narrative in which history unfolds as nothing but a transformation of complexity, while in world society theory it takes the form of a theory of social evolution. It discusses possible substantive overlaps between global history and world society theory, which focuses on epochal change, the role of the long nineteenth century, and the role of single big events or turning points.

scholarly journals Mapping Welfare State Development in post-Neoliberal Latin America

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gibran Cruz-Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Latin America ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
Sufficient Conditions ◽  
State Development ◽  
Labour Movement ◽  
Revenue Collection ◽  
Welfare Institutions ◽  
Multidimensional Welfare ◽  
Welfare State Development

Why have some countries in Latin America and the Caribbean developed more comprehensive welfare systems than others? Do political and economic factors help us signal the (un) favourable paths taken by countries with different degrees of welfare state development in the XXI century? This paper addresses limitations of previous comparative research to continue (re) searching the conditions of welfare state development. A composite multidimensional welfare state development index (WeSDI) is constructed for 18 countries between 2000–2015. The four dimensions are the magnitude of social expenditure, the scope of coverage of welfare programmes, quality of the coverage of welfare programmes and outcomes of welfare institutions. The WeSDI uses goalposts (i.e. natural zeros and aspirational targets) to normalise individual indices and avoid the “relativity problems” of results. We use crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to test how necessary and/or sufficient eight political and economic conditions are (alone or in combination) to foster multidimensional welfare state development in the region. The causal conditions are openness to external shocks, debt obligations, revenue-collection capabilities, labour movement strength, strength of the left, policy legacies of welfare institutions, size of the outsider population and quality of democracy. The paper confirms the relevance of democratic strength, revenue-collection capabilities (and to a lesser degree policy legacy of welfare institutions) as sufficient conditions of high and medium levels of welfare state development in the (post) neoliberal era. In addition to labour movement strength, these same economic and political factors are relevant to understand the conditions behind very low levels of welfare state development.

Interest Groups

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tracy Roof
Keyword(s):  
Welfare State ◽  
Interest Groups ◽  
Professional Associations ◽  
Safety Net ◽  
Social Welfare Policy ◽  
Social Safety Net ◽  
Group Influence ◽  
Welfare State Development ◽  
Interest Group Influence

This chapter examines the role of interest groups in shaping American social welfare policy. It outlines major theories and findings on interest group influence in American politics and comparative welfare state development and examines the activities and influence of major categories of groups, including business, labor, agriculture, professional associations, intergovernmental organizations, and citizens’ groups. Although many interest groups have helped secure policies that form a limited social safety net, this chapter suggests that the competition among a diverse array of interest groups in a fragmented political system makes policy change difficult. This tendency towards gridlock, which favors the interests of some groups over others, has constrained the size and redistribution of the American welfare state.

scholarly journals Perskirstymas gerovės valstybės kilmės teorijose

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 64-73
Author(s):  
Viginta Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė
Keyword(s):  
Welfare State ◽  
State Development ◽  
Power Resources ◽  
Social Risks ◽  
Theory State ◽  
Welfare State Development ◽  
The One

Vilniaus universitetas, Universiteto g. 9/1, LT-01513 VilniusTel. (+370) 5 266 76 10El. paštas: [email protected]  Šiuo straipsniu siekiama atskleisti, kaip traktuojamas perskirstymas skirtingose gerovės valstybės kilmės teorijose, kokia jo svarba jose, ar galima numatyti perskirstymo dydį, kryptį, kokias rizikas siekiama kompensuoti perskirstant. Pirmoje straipsnio dalyje pristatoma perskirstymo samprata. Kitose dalyse perskirstymas nagrinėjamas pasitelkiant kelias gerovės valstybės kilmę aiškinančias teorijas: funkcionalizmą („industrializacijos logikos“ tezę), galios išteklių teoriją, valstybės centristinę prieigą ir institucionalizmo teoriją. Pagrindinė išvada teigia, kad „industrializacijos logikos“ tezė labiau pagrindžia poreikio perskirstyti atsiradimą, o valstybės centristinė ir institucionalizmo teorijos geriau paaiškina skirtumus tarp atskirose valstybėse vykdomo perskirstymo. Išsamiausiai perskirstymas gali būti analizuojamas naudojant galios išteklių teoriją.Pagrindiniai žodžiai: perskirstymas, gerovės valstybė, industrializacijos logika, galios išteklių teorija, institucionalizmas.Redistribution in Theories of Welfare State Developmement Viginta Ivaškaitė-Tamošiūnė SummaryThis article analyses the conception of redistribution in different theories of welfare state development. What is the role and importance of redistribution in those theories? Could the size and direction of redistribution be identified and what social risks are compensated by redistribution? First part introduces the conception of redistribution. This is followed by other parts where redistribution is analysed through the lens of several theories of welfare state development, namely functionalism (“logic of industrialism”), power-resources theory, state-centered approach and institutionalism. Main findings denote to “logic of industrialism” thesis as the one which is capable to explain arisen need for redistribution, while state-centered approach and institutionalism are more appropriate for explaining the disparities in redistribution in different countries. Most fruitful analysis may be performed when power resources theory is employed.Key words: redistribution, welfare state, logic of industrialism, power-resources theory, institutionalism.

The cost of becoming a neo-liberal welfare state: A cautionary case of Lithuania

2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 728-748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalija Atas
Keyword(s):  
Welfare State ◽  
Economic Conditions ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Policy Reforms ◽  
Welfare Policies ◽  
Institutional Settings ◽  
Current State ◽  
National Welfare ◽  
Welfare State Development ◽  
The Cost

This article reveals the extent to which western-driven neo-liberal policies have influenced and shaped the current state of the national welfare policies, and consequent socio-economic conditions, in Lithuania. It looks at different stages of welfare state development following the independence of Lithuania before providing an overview of the current national institutional settings and policies. First, it discusses policy reforms that occurred during the transformation from planned to market economy. This part deliberates ideological changes characteristic to that period along with socio-economic impacts of the transformation. Then, it evaluates the more recent welfare state developments that began after Lithuania’s accession to the European Union (EU). The article concludes with an assessment of the key features of contemporary welfare policies and their wider socio-economic outcomes.

scholarly journals Majoritarian systems, rural groups, and (arrested) welfare state development

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 238-254
Author(s):  
Carl Henrik Knutsen ◽  
Magnus Bergli Rasmussen
Keyword(s):  
Panel Data ◽  
Welfare State ◽  
Electoral System ◽  
State Development ◽  
Proportional Systems ◽  
State Expansion ◽  
Power Resources ◽  
Welfare State Development

While some scholars suggest that rural groups contribute to welfare state expansion, we highlight their incentives to restrain it. The ability of rural groups to achieve this preference hinges on their power resources, but also on the electoral system. We propose that in majoritarian systems, rural groups can often veto welfare legislation. In proportional systems this is less feasible, even for resource-rich groups. Instead, agrarian groups sometimes accept welfare legislation in return for other policy-concessions in post-electoral bargaining. We illustrate the argument with British and Norwegian historical experiences, and test the implications using panel data from 96 democracies. We find evidence that resourceful agrarian groups effectively arrest welfare state development in majoritarian systems, but not in proportional systems. As expected, the electoral system matters less for welfare state expansion when agrarian groups are weak. The results are robust to using alternative estimators, measures, samples and model specifications.

Revisiting the Role of Labor

2009 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 296-329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dennie Oude Nijhuis
Keyword(s):  
Welfare State ◽  
Organizational Structure ◽  
Labor Unions ◽  
Labor Union ◽  
State Development ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Union Movement ◽  
Union Support ◽  
Welfare State Development

The purpose of this article is to emphasize the importance of the organizational blueprint of labor unions for welfare state outcomes. As a result of the tendency of scholars to view labor as a homogenous and disadvantaged class, the existing literature has paid little attention to this. Many scholars have simply taken labor union support for welfare state development for granted and consequently have focused only on labor union strength. This article argues, rather, that labor union support for welfare state development cannot be taken for granted. It shows that labor unions support or oppose welfare state development depending on their organizational blueprint. This new approach highlights the importance of the labor union movement's organizational structure, as opposed to its organizational strength, for welfare state outcomes. The article also explores how the organizational structure of the labor union movement shapes the stance of employer interest groups toward welfare state development. The empirical findings are based on a comparison of British and Dutch postwar old-age pension development

scholarly journals The Introduction and Expansion of Work-Injury Law: Testing the Global Role of Worker Agency

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nate Breznau
Keyword(s):  
Welfare State ◽  
Production Systems ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
Work Injury ◽  
Political Outcomes ◽  
Future Data ◽  
Welfare State Development ◽  
Historical Comparative ◽  
And Diffusion

This chapter investigates the origins and development of work-injury laws globally; those historically known as “workmen’s compensation” laws. The introduction of a national work-injury law ushers in the welfare state. Most research suggests modernization, industrialization and policy ideation caused cross-national variation in the timing and development of these laws. I argue that the experience and agency of workers and their families are also an important theoretical cause in this process. The challenge is that historical comparative data on worker agency across the globe do not exist. Until these data are collected, I propose an interim test of worker agency using socialist/Communist outcomes and slave production systems as two indicators of more or less capacity of workers to shape political outcomes. The test is counterfactual. If worker’s themselves were not a factor in the development of work-injury law, then there should be no clear association of socialism/Communism or year of abolition of slavery with the time it takes a country to enact a full-coverage blue-collar work-injury law. Just as technological and political systems diffused across the globe, so did ideas and tactics of worker movements. Therefore, working-class experience and agency should become part of mainstream theories of welfare state development and diffusion contingent upon improved future data and tests.

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