Welfare state change in leading OECD countries
The Influence of Post-Industrial and Global Economic Developments
Research into the evolution of the modern welfare state has intrigued social scientists since the late 19th century, focusing on two main questions: the origins of the welfare state and the factors contributing to its expansion post-World War II. As advanced capitalist welfare states began facing challenges from the mid-1970s, the academic focus shifted from understanding their rise to examining their adaptation. Currently, these states confront two primary challenges: pressures from post-industrial developments and global economic forces. Post-industrial pressures include deindustrialization, population aging, changing household structures, and welfare state maturation. In addition to these domestic issues, advanced capitalist welfare states are increasingly influenced by global developments. The processes of international economic integration, which began shortly after WWII, have intensified over the past four decades, further complicating the landscape for welfare states. This shift in focus highlights the need to understand how these systems can adapt to ongoing and emerging challenges in a rapidly changing world.
