Conditional Solidarity: A Comparative Analysis of Government Egalitarianism and Benefit Conditionalization in Boom and Bust. Issue 5 (20th October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Horn, Alexander
• Is Part Of: Journal of comparative policy analysis. Volume 20:Issue 5(2018)
• Page Start: 451
• Page End: 468
• Publication Date: 2018-10-20
• Subjects: economic performance -- comparative welfare research -- conditional solidarity -- egalitarianism -- regression; Social policy -- Comparative method -- Periodicals; 320.6
• DOI: 10.1080/13876988.2017.1368192
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1387-6988

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Surveys show that welfare benefits are regarded as more legitimate if the beneficiaries are perceived as victims of systemic circumstances; that their legitimacy is sensitive to economic context; and that egalitarians are more supportive of benefits. Applying these insights to macro-comparative research, this paper shows that "conditional solidarity" – not partisanship – explains the puzzling countercyclical policy pattern of "conditionalization in good times" that characterizes changes in access to unemployment insurance in the OECD. The argument is that the effect of a government's egalitarian views depends on the business cycle because the legitimacy of benefits is inversely related to macroeconomic performance.