Synopses & Reviews
The Dutch polder model- recently dubbed a "success story" by Bill Clinton and Jacques Delors - plays a prominent role in current discussions about possibilities for a new "capitalism with a social face", and appeals to experts all over the world. Just ten years ago the Swedish sociologist Göran Therborn described the Dutch employment policy as a "spectacular failure". The authors single out three policy changes to explain the "miracle" that has taken place since then. The "Dutch miracle" shows that it is difficult but not impossible to overcome the drawbacks of the welfare state and that in this age of globalization and integration, it remains necessary to coordinate policy on a national level as well. In the last section the authors investigate the dynamics of social-economic policy which will have to be developed under increasingly stringent international conditions.
About the Author
Dr. Jelle Visser is affiliated with the Amsterdam School for Social Research, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and the Max Planck Institute in Cologne, Germany. Dr. Anton Hemerijck is a member of the Department of Public Administration at the Erasmus University of Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter One, How to Explain a Miracle?
Chapter Two, Miracle or Mirage? Job Growth and Labour Market Developments
Chapter Three, Welfare Reform, Institutional Theory and Social Learning
Chapter Four, Policy Learning under Corporatism
Chapter Five, Corporatism Regained: External Adjustment, Wage Moderation, and Trade Unions
Chapter Six, Corporatism Unrestrained: Reversing the Spiral of Welfare without Work
Chapter Seven, Truncated Corporatism: The Crooked Path towards an Active Labour Market Policy
Conclusion, Some Lessons from the Dutch Experience Bibliography Index