Ten Activation through thick and thin: progressive approaches to labour market activation
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Jonah D. Levy
Abstract
This chapter states that progressive policy is not necessarily an alternative to economic liberalisation. This is because this dichotomous vision relies on a narrow and impoverished conception of economic liberalisation. The discussion is focused on only one strand of new social liberalism, which is labour market activation. It is defined by two key features: an extensive and positive role for public policy and a concern for the quality of employment. This chapter concludes that neo-liberalism is a subset of liberalism, and that how a country liberalises is as important as whether it liberalises.
Abstract
This chapter states that progressive policy is not necessarily an alternative to economic liberalisation. This is because this dichotomous vision relies on a narrow and impoverished conception of economic liberalisation. The discussion is focused on only one strand of new social liberalism, which is labour market activation. It is defined by two key features: an extensive and positive role for public policy and a concern for the quality of employment. This chapter concludes that neo-liberalism is a subset of liberalism, and that how a country liberalises is as important as whether it liberalises.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- Introduction 1
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Developments in UK social policy
- Housing policy: coming in from the cold? 13
- The NHS in England: from modernisation to marketisation? 29
- Developments in social security 45
- The rise of the meritocracy? New Labour and education in the second term 61
- The personal social services 81
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Social policy in the wider context
- ‘Scottish solutions to Scottish problems’? Social welfare in Scotland since devolution 101
- The primacy of ideology: social policy and the first term of the National Assembly for Wales 121
- Attlee versus Blair: Labour governments and progressive social policy in historical perspective 143
- Christian democracy, social democracy and the continental ‘welfare without work’ syndrome 167
- Activation through thick and thin: progressive approaches to labour market activation 187
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Social policy since 1979 – the impact of Thatcherism
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the right 211
- Mrs Thatcher’s legacy: getting it in perspective 231
- Privatisation, privatisation, privatisation: the British welfare state since 1979 251
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the USA 271
- Index 291
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents iii
- Notes on contributors v
- Introduction 1
-
Developments in UK social policy
- Housing policy: coming in from the cold? 13
- The NHS in England: from modernisation to marketisation? 29
- Developments in social security 45
- The rise of the meritocracy? New Labour and education in the second term 61
- The personal social services 81
-
Social policy in the wider context
- ‘Scottish solutions to Scottish problems’? Social welfare in Scotland since devolution 101
- The primacy of ideology: social policy and the first term of the National Assembly for Wales 121
- Attlee versus Blair: Labour governments and progressive social policy in historical perspective 143
- Christian democracy, social democracy and the continental ‘welfare without work’ syndrome 167
- Activation through thick and thin: progressive approaches to labour market activation 187
-
Social policy since 1979 – the impact of Thatcherism
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the right 211
- Mrs Thatcher’s legacy: getting it in perspective 231
- Privatisation, privatisation, privatisation: the British welfare state since 1979 251
- Social policy since 1979: a view from the USA 271
- Index 291
