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Globalization and the Welfare State
Globalization and the Welfare State is highly accessible and will be welcomed by students and scholars of social policy, social work, political science and sociology as well as by policymakers in international organizations and government.
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Critical Acclaim
Contents
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Does globalization mean a race to the bottom in social standards and the inevitable decay of the welfare state? Ramesh Mishra – a leading authority on social policy – examines the implications of globalization in respect of social policy and social standards in advanced industrial countries.
Globalization is a form of international neo-liberalism supported by the United States, world markets and organizations such as the IMF and OECD, whose policies are becoming increasingly influential and are putting nation states under pressure to reduce social standards. In this book Ramesh Mishra considers the impact of globalization on full employment and the labour market, income distribution, taxation and social protection in developed capitalist countries. He argues that social standards have declined far more in English speaking countries than in continental Europe and Japan, and that globalization is as much a political and ideological phenomenon as it is economic. In conclusion, Professor Mishra argues the case for a transnational approach to social policy to ensure that social standards rise in line with economic growth.
Globalization and the Welfare State is highly accessible and will be welcomed by students and scholars of social policy, social work, political science and sociology as well as by policymakers in international organizations and government.
Globalization is a form of international neo-liberalism supported by the United States, world markets and organizations such as the IMF and OECD, whose policies are becoming increasingly influential and are putting nation states under pressure to reduce social standards. In this book Ramesh Mishra considers the impact of globalization on full employment and the labour market, income distribution, taxation and social protection in developed capitalist countries. He argues that social standards have declined far more in English speaking countries than in continental Europe and Japan, and that globalization is as much a political and ideological phenomenon as it is economic. In conclusion, Professor Mishra argues the case for a transnational approach to social policy to ensure that social standards rise in line with economic growth.
Globalization and the Welfare State is highly accessible and will be welcomed by students and scholars of social policy, social work, political science and sociology as well as by policymakers in international organizations and government.
Critical Acclaim
‘Mishra’s book is an important contribution to the literature on globalization and the welfare state. It offers new insights into the consequences of globalization for the welfare state. While his critical analysis is rather easy to follow, it provides the reader with concrete examples that allow for the development of hypotheses of one’s own about the impact of globalization on the welfare state in Anglo-Saxon countries.’
– Sherrow O. Pinder, Journal of Children & Poverty
‘This is a short book, with only 152 pages of text, but by comparison with longer and windier texts it is a pleasure to read. Mishra has something to say, and he says it clearly, forcefully and directly . . . one might wish that other writers would do as much. I can recommend this book without reservation.’
– Global Social Policy
‘This is an important contribution to the literature on globalization. It teases out the implication of globalization for welfare states and addresses key propositions in a nuanced way. While emphasizing the common trends it also points to the differences in the extent of the impact depending on historical and political factors. Importantly, Mishra stresses throughout that globalization is not merely and economic phenomenon: it has economics, ideological and political dimensions.’
– Julia S. O’Connor, Canadian Journal of Sociology Online
– Sherrow O. Pinder, Journal of Children & Poverty
‘This is a short book, with only 152 pages of text, but by comparison with longer and windier texts it is a pleasure to read. Mishra has something to say, and he says it clearly, forcefully and directly . . . one might wish that other writers would do as much. I can recommend this book without reservation.’
– Global Social Policy
‘This is an important contribution to the literature on globalization. It teases out the implication of globalization for welfare states and addresses key propositions in a nuanced way. While emphasizing the common trends it also points to the differences in the extent of the impact depending on historical and political factors. Importantly, Mishra stresses throughout that globalization is not merely and economic phenomenon: it has economics, ideological and political dimensions.’
– Julia S. O’Connor, Canadian Journal of Sociology Online
Contents
List of Figures and Tables
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. The logic of globalization: the changing context of the welfare state
2. Employment, lobour market and income: growing insecurity and inequality
3. Social policy in retreat or the hollowing out of the welfare state
4. Social policy and democracy: do politics still matter?
5. Globalization in comparative perspective: Sweden, Germany and Japan
6. The logic of globalization revisited
7. Towards a global social policy
References
Index
List of Abbreviations
Acknowledgements
Introduction
1. The logic of globalization: the changing context of the welfare state
2. Employment, lobour market and income: growing insecurity and inequality
3. Social policy in retreat or the hollowing out of the welfare state
4. Social policy and democracy: do politics still matter?
5. Globalization in comparative perspective: Sweden, Germany and Japan
6. The logic of globalization revisited
7. Towards a global social policy
References
Index
