The Small Welfare State: Rethinking Welfare in the US, Japan, and South Korea

This book offers a comparative study of three historically small welfare states: the US, Japan, and South Korea, exploring the common political and institutional characteristics that have constrained welfare state development in industrialized democracies. It will be of interest to scholars, policymakers, and social policy experts.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 15 October 2021
Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd

In a time of rapid transformation for welfare states across the globe, this insightful book presents a comparative analysis of three historically small welfare states: the United States, Japan, and South Korea. Delving into various facets of welfare states, the chapters explore the underlying factors that have hindered the expansion of social security in these countries. By extending the scope beyond the larger European welfare states, this book uncovers the common political and institutional traits, ranging from labor organization to party politics, that have impeded the development of welfare states in industrialized democracies. Providing valuable insights into welfare-state development beyond Europe, this book will be of paramount importance for scholars specializing in welfare states, particularly those focused on Asian and American social policy. It will also hold significant appeal to policymakers and social policy experts in government, civil institutions, and international organizations, particularly those engaged in developing countries.

Contributors to this book include:

M. Estévez-Abe, C. Faricy, S. Haggard, Y.-R. Jung, D. Kim, S.-w. Kim, Y.-S. Kim, J. Klein, S.-M. Kwon, D. Oude Nijuis, and J.-j. Yang.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781802206463