Politics of Welfare State Transformation in Germany: Still a Semi-Sovereign State?

This book examines the politics of welfare state transformation in Germany by analyzing the policy-making process in labor market policy between 1980 and 2010. It proposes a novel analytical framework to understand the capacity of the core executive over time and identifies three different policy-making episodes. The book advances existing efforts to conceptualize and measure welfare state change and provides a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of the welfare-work nexus in Germany.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 294 pages
Publication date: 05 February 2018
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

The analysis of contemporary welfare state change is a complex and multifaceted endeavor that requires a comprehensive approach. This book contributes to this discussion by focusing on one of the least likely cases for welfare state transformation in Europe: Germany. By examining in detail how and why institutional change has taken Germanys welfare state from a conservative towards a new work-first regime, the book offers valuable insights into the politics of welfare state transformation.

In order to understand the politics of welfare state transformation, Christof Schiller introduces a novel analytical framework. This framework emphasizes the capacity of the core executive over time, which he argues is a crucial factor in shaping policy outcomes. By examining the policy-making process in labor market policy between 1980 and 2010, Schiller identifies three distinct policy-making episodes and analyzes their interaction with developments and changes in various policy areas such as pension policy, family policy, labor law, tax policy, and social assistance.

The book advances existing efforts to conceptualize and measure welfare state change by proposing a clear-cut conceptualization of social policy regime change. It also provides a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of the welfare-work nexus between 1980 and 2010 in Germany. This analysis sheds light on the complex interplay between economic, social, and political factors that have influenced the shape and direction of welfare state reform in Germany.

The book will be of interest to students and scholars of social policy, comparative welfare state reform, welfare politics, government, governance, public policy, German politics, European politics, political economy, sociology, and history. It offers a valuable contribution to our understanding of the dynamics of welfare state change and the factors that shape policy outcomes in different contexts.

Weight: 381g
Dimension: 210 x 150 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781138488205