Federalism and the welfare state : new world and European experiences

Resource Information

The work Federalism and the welfare state : new world and European experiences represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in European University Institute. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Federalism and the welfare state : new world and European experiences

Title remainder

new world and European experiences

Statement of responsibility

edited by Herbert Obinger, Stephan Leibfried, and Francis G. Castles

Title variation

Federalism & the Welfare State

Contributor

• Leibfried, Stephan, 1944-
• Castles, Francis G., (Francis Geoffrey), 1943-
• Obinger, Herbert, 1970-

Editor

• Obinger, Herbert, 1970-
• Castles, Francis G., (Francis Geoffrey), 1943-
• Leibfried, Stephan, 1944-

Subject

• Democracy -- Case studies
• Federal government -- Case studies
• Social policy -- Case studies

Genre

• Case studies

Language

eng

Summary

In this unique and provocative contribution to the literatures of political science and social policy, ten leading experts question prevailing views that federalism always inhibits the growth of social solidarity. Their comparative study of the evolution of political institutions and welfare states in the six oldest federal states - Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Switzerland, the US - reveals that federalism can facilitate and impede social policy development. Development is contingent on several time-dependent factors, including degree of democratization, type of federalism, and the stage of welfare state development and early distribution of social policy responsibility. The reciprocal nature of the federalism-social policy relationship also becomes apparent: the authors identify a set of important bypass structures within federal systems that have resulted from welfare state growth. In an era of retrenchment and unravelling unitary states, this study suggests that federalism may actually protect the welfare state, and welfare states may enhance national integration.--

Assigning source

Provided by publisher

Cataloging source

UkCbUP

Index

index present

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

dictionaries

Series statement

Cambridge Social Sciences eBooks