Labor Divided in the Postwar European Welfare State

Download or read book Labor Divided in the Postwar European Welfare State written by Dennie Oude Nijhuis and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2013-06-24 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explains how the success of attempts to expand the boundaries of the postwar welfare state in the Netherlands and the United Kingdom depended on organized labor's willingness to support redistribution of risk and income among different groups of workers. By illuminating and explaining differences within and between labor union movements, it traces the historical origins of 'inclusive' and 'dual' welfare systems. In doing so, the book shows that labor unions can either have a profoundly conservative impact on the welfare state or act as an impelling force for progressive welfare reform. Based on an extensive range of archive material, this book explores the institutional foundations of social solidarity.