Publisher Description

This analysis of the growth of welfare spending examines the relative impact of class and status groups versus demographic composition and political structures. Special attention is given to the role of the aged as representative of the importance of ascription and middle-class groups in welfare growth, and to the effect of welfare spending on income inequality. Aggregate cross-national data from the UN, ILO, and the World Bank are analysed and the conclusion is drawn that a large aged population, especially in combination with democratic political processes, is a direct and crucial influence on the level of welfare spending.

Author Biography

Fred C. Pampel (Ph.D., University of Illinois) is Professor of Sociology and Research Associate of the Institute of Behavior Science at the University of Colorado, Boulder. With John Williamson, he is the author of Age, Class, Politics, and the Welfare State and Old Age Security in Comparative Perspective. He has published numerous articles on topics relating to social policy, age structure, and pension spending, and is currently doing research on age differences in income inequality and mortality from suicide and homicide.

Table of Contents

Preface; 1. The welfare state: some neglected considerations; 2. Theoretical perspectives on the welfare state; 3. Social welfare spending in advanced industrial democracies; 4. Social welfare spending and democratic political context; 5. Economic growth, social welfare spending, and income inequality; 6. Infant mortality, equality, and social welfare spending; 7. Conclusions: the causes and consequences of the welfare state; References.

Review

'This is a fine book and shows an analytic and authorial maturity that we would all do well to emulate. The results are striking, important, and persuasive even if distressing to those of us who want to believe that the right government can make a difference. Beyond the obvious readership of those interested in social welfare policy, anyone interested in the relations among economy, society, and polity would do well to read this book.' Jennifer L. Hochschild, Political Science Quarterly 'The theoretical issues involved in the topic are clearly laid out and pursued throughout the book in an informative way, and the implications of the empirical results for those issues are fully addressed. The conclusions offer a fresh perspective on the welfare state that emphasizes the joint importance of demographic and political factors.' Robert Jackman

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This analysis of the growth of welfare spending examines the relative impact of class and status groups versus demographic composition and political structures.

Promotional "Headline"

This analysis of the growth of welfare spending examines the relative impact of class and status groups versus demographic composition and political structures.

Description for Bookstore

This analysis of the growth of welfare spending examines the relative impact of class and status groups versus demographic composition and political structures. Special attention is given to the role of the aged and middle-class groups in welfare growth, and to the effect of welfare spending on income inequality.

Description for Library

This analysis of the growth of welfare spending examines the relative impact of class and status groups versus demographic composition and political structures. Special attention is given to the role of the aged and middle-class groups in welfare growth, and to the effect of welfare spending on income inequality.

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