TIMONEN, Virpi
What explains public service restructuring? Evaluating contending explanations - February 2001
This article assesses the explanatory power of two prominent accounts of welfare state restructuring in the area of public sector reform. Paul Person`s work is studied as an example of the politician-consituent framework, and contrasted with a coalitional approach to welfare state restructuring. A genenral theoretical critique is put forward, an the theoretical framworks are evaluated in the light of case studies of public service sector restructuring in Finland and Sweden. The coalitional approach is rejected because no evidence is found of trade unions regarding public services. Instead, it is argued that public sector cuts resulted from decreased local tax revenue and central government determination to reduce budget deficits. Public and trade union protest was limited owing to the delayed and uncertain impact of the cuts. In essence, therefore, the article adheres to Pierson`s account of the logic of welfare state restructuring
Coalitional Theories
Finnish and Swedish Trade Unions
Institutional Welfare States
Social and Health Services
Trade Union Attitudes
Welfare State Restructuring
What explains public service restructuring? Evaluating contending explanations - February 2001
This article assesses the explanatory power of two prominent accounts of welfare state restructuring in the area of public sector reform. Paul Person`s work is studied as an example of the politician-consituent framework, and contrasted with a coalitional approach to welfare state restructuring. A genenral theoretical critique is put forward, an the theoretical framworks are evaluated in the light of case studies of public service sector restructuring in Finland and Sweden. The coalitional approach is rejected because no evidence is found of trade unions regarding public services. Instead, it is argued that public sector cuts resulted from decreased local tax revenue and central government determination to reduce budget deficits. Public and trade union protest was limited owing to the delayed and uncertain impact of the cuts. In essence, therefore, the article adheres to Pierson`s account of the logic of welfare state restructuring
Coalitional Theories
Finnish and Swedish Trade Unions
Institutional Welfare States
Social and Health Services
Trade Union Attitudes
Welfare State Restructuring
