Journal Articles

Social Policy by Popular Demand

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Why are unemployment benefits more generous in some countries? This article argues that citizens trade off the redistributive and insuring effect of social insurance. As a result, the distribution of risk in a society has important consequences via popular demand for social policy-making. At the microlevel, the article shows that, in addition to income, the risk of unemployment is a key predictor of individual-level preferences for unemployment benefits. Based on the microlevel findings, the article argues that at the macrolevel the homogeneity of the risk pool is an important determinant of benefit generosity: the more equally unemployment risk is distributed, the higher unemployment replacement rates are. Empirical testing at both levels finds support for this account of social policy by popular demand.

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Detail Information

Series Title

World Politics

Call Number

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Publisher

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press., 2011

Collation

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Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

00438871

Classification

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Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

Vol. 63< Number 2, April 2011.pp.271-299

Subject(s)

Social Policy by Popular Demand

Specific Detail Info

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