Agents of Reform: Child Labor and the Origins of the Welfare State

The first child labor laws were passed in the 1830s, which is when the modern welfare state began. This was made possible by the efforts of middle-class and elite reformers who saw child labor as a threat to social order. They built alliances and instituted new employment protections, creating factory inspectorates to improve industrial working conditions. This book challenges existing explanations of welfare state development and advances a new pragmatist field theory of institutional change.

Format: Hardback
Length: 384 pages
Publication date: 12 October 2021
Publisher: Princeton University Press

The origins of the contemporary welfare state can be traced back to the late 19th century, when the labor movement gained momentum and policymakers sought to appeal to working-class voters. However, in her book "Agents of Reform," Elisabeth Anderson argues that the regulatory welfare state actually began in the 1830s, with the passage of the first child labor laws.

"Agents of Reform" delves into the story of how middle-class and elite reformers in Europe and the United States perceived child labor as a threat to social order and took the initiative to establish regulatory welfare. These reformers formed alliances to navigate around powerful political obstacles and implemented groundbreaking employment protections. As the century progressed, they collaborated with organized labor to create factory inspectorates, which aimed to enhance and standardize the states ability to intervene in industrial working conditions.

The book compares seven in-depth case studies of key policy episodes in Germany, France, Belgium, Massachusetts, and Illinois. By highlighting the agency of individual reformers, "Agents of Reform" challenges existing explanations of welfare state development and presents a novel pragmatist field theory of institutional change. This approach moves beyond the traditional narratives of interests and institutions, focusing on how these interact with political actors' ideas, coalition-building strategies, and the broader social and political context.

Through its comprehensive analysis, "Agents of Reform" provides valuable insights into the complex processes that shaped the modern welfare state. It sheds light on the roles of individual reformers, their innovative policies, and the broader social and political forces that influenced their efforts. This book is a must-read for scholars and policymakers interested in understanding the origins of the welfare state, the history of social policy, and the dynamics of institutional change.

Dimension: 235 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780691220901