Description
Book SynopsisThe industrialized economies of the world have experienced a considerable diversity of economic experience since the shocks of the 1970s. The authors of this major study assess the institutional determinants of economic performance in a comparative analysis of OECD economies. They focus in particular on the role played by corporatist arrangements in such countries as Austria and the Scandinavian states.
Corporatism and Economic Performance argues that economists often have a narrow view of the scope and function of corporatism, focusing on the extent to which collective bargaining is centralized, and ignoring the important role of durable, consensual policy making arrangements. The record of the corporatist economies is assessed and considerable evidence is found to show that they have borne the burden of economic adjustment over the last twenty years in a less inegalitarian way than other OECD economies, with lower rates of unemployment and greater economic stability.
In an increasingly integrated world economy, the future prospects for corporatism look uncertain, although there is still a strong economic case for corporatist institutions. This book sheds new light on corporatism as a complex and multidimensional entity, examining the rationale, scope, performance and future prospects of corporatist institutions.
Trade Review'This book provides a thoughtful and extremely accessible re-assessment of the economic theory on which corporatist policies have been based. . . . the authors have drawn widely on the relevant economics and political science literature. -- Mark Wickham-Jones, Political Studies
Table of ContentsContents: 1. Introduction: An Overview of Economic Performance in Corporatist and Liberal Economies 2. Institutions and Economic Performance 3. Corporatism, Labour Market Institutions and Unemployment 4. The Political Economy of Durable Compromise 5. Growth, Competitiveness and Income Distribution 6. Corporatism and Macroeconomic Policy 7. Conclusion: Problems and Prospects
