Nathalie Giger - The Risk of Social Policy?: The Electoral Consequences of Welfare State Retrenchment and Social Policy Performance in OECD Countries

The Risk of Social Policy? uses a comparative perspective to systematically analyse the effects of social policy reforms and welfare state retrenchment on voting choice for the government. It re-examines 20 elections in OECD countries to show if and how social policy issues drive elections.

This book contributes to the existing literature by providing an empirical analysis of the electoral implications of social policy. Giger asks the basic research question: What are the electoral consequences of social policy performance and retrenchment? More specifically, the following questions are addressed in order to provide a systematic test of the topic: Is retrenchment indeed completely unpopular? Do people punish the government for bad performance in the field of social policy? And what are the political implications of such a punishment reaction; does it affect the government composition? It shows empirically that the risks of welfare state retrenchment to incumbent governments may be lower than previously thought, and presents a theoretical framework for re-examining the impact of retrenchment initiatives on election outcome.

Making an important contribution to studies in political economy and welfare by questioning the assumption that social policy is an inherently controversial policy field in times of elections, The Risk of Social Policy? will be of interest to scholars and students concerned with the interplay between government and citizens, social policy and voting behaviour, and the political economy of welfare.

Nathalie Giger is a researcher at the Mannheim Centre for European Social Research (MZES), University of Mannheim, Germany.

Series editors: Martin Rhodes and Maurizio Ferrera

The European University Institute, Florence, Italy

This series presents leading edge research on the recasting of European welfare states. The series is interdisciplinary, featuring contributions from experts in economics, political science and social policy. The books provide a comparative analysis of topical issues, including:

The electoral consequences of welfare state retrenchment and social policy performance in OECD countries

Nathalie Giger

First published 2011

by Routledge

2 Park Square Milton Park Abingdon Oxon OX14 4RN

Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada

by Routledge

270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016

Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business

2011 Nathalie Giger

Typeset in Times by Wearset Ltd, Boldon, Tyne and Wear

Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJI Digital, Padstow, Cornwall

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data

Giger, Nathalie.

The risk of social policy? : the electoral consequences of welfare state retrenchment and social policy performance in OECD countries / Nathalie Giger.

p. cm. (Routledge/EUI studies in the political economy of welfare)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

1. Welfare state-OECD countries. 2. Labor policy-OECD countries.

3. OECD countries-Social policy. 4. Socialism. I. Title.

HN16.G49 2011

324.9dc22

2010026430

ISBN: 978-0-415-59198-0 (hbk)

ISBN: 978-0-203-83448-0 (ebk)

This project started in 2005 with five rather imprecise lines in a larger research proposal. It makes me happy to see how it developed into a PhD thesis and now grew further into a book. During the whole process I have received multiple support from many people, intellectually, morally and personally. This short acknowledgement cannot do them justice. However, they can be assured that I will not forget about them. The Institute of Political Science at the University of Bern became my second home for several years and those who work there my roommates. I profited from this very supportive working environment, and found not only wonderful colleagues but gained numerous friends. I am particularly grateful to Klaus Armingeon, my PhD supervisor who supported me through the whole process of my PhD. I especially thank him for his confidence, support and patience. Hans Hirter, Wolf Linder, Fritz Sager, Marco Steenbergen and Christine Trampusch created a professional and encouraging environment, which made scientific research possible in the first place. My special thanks go to Marco Steenbergen for his careful reading of this book and his intelligent and helpful reporting and commenting about it and to Christine Trampusch and Sputnik for the perspective. Furthermore, I am grateful to Andr Bchtiger, Regula Bernhard, Romana Careja, Franziska Ehrler, Patrick Emmenegger, Marlne Gerber, Daniela Heiniger, Pia Hess, Lucas Leemann, Lionel Marquis, Karolina Milewicz, Andrea Mosimann, Linda Rohrer, Monika Spinatsch, Isabelle Stadelmann-Steffen, Olivia Thoenen, Bettina Tissi, Nicole Wichmann and Reto Wuest. They all made my professional life in Bern much more convenient. I really enjoyed our time together. Finally, Sarah Mannion and Robin Bartlett proofread the manuscript with diligence and patience.