Digging their own graves : unexpected consequences of institutional design and welfare state changes
By: ASISKOVITCH, Sharon
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ArticlePublisher: Oxford : Wiley-Blackwell, June 2009Social Policy & Administration 43, 3, p. 226-244Abstract: This article proposes a theoretical mechanism for explaining why various components of a welfare state may develop differently, given similar economic, political and ideological contexts. Evaluating welfare state plans as products of political processes, the article looks at the role of political actors and their mistakes, considering how these mistakes shape future social policy-making. The article identifies 'unexpected consequences' of institutional design: situations where the decisions of powerful actors lead to the empowerment of their rivals, which in turn may change policies to their advantage. Drawing on a case study from the Israeli welfare state, namely, the introduction and then abolishment of income testing in the Children's Insurance Plan, the article demonstrates how this mechanism may have allowed certain political actors to protect welfare state plans in the face of neo-liberal pressures. It discusses how other political actors can take advantage of similar situations and notes the conditions needed for success.
This article proposes a theoretical mechanism for explaining why various components of a welfare state may develop differently, given similar economic, political and ideological contexts. Evaluating welfare state plans as products of political processes, the article looks at the role of political actors and their mistakes, considering how these mistakes shape future social policy-making. The article identifies 'unexpected consequences' of institutional design: situations where the decisions of powerful actors lead to the empowerment of their rivals, which in turn may change policies to their advantage. Drawing on a case study from the Israeli welfare state, namely, the introduction and then abolishment of income testing in the Children's Insurance Plan, the article demonstrates how this mechanism may have allowed certain political actors to protect welfare state plans in the face of neo-liberal pressures. It discusses how other political actors can take advantage of similar situations and notes the conditions needed for success.
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