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Neoliberal convergence in North America and Western Europe: Fiscal austerity, privatization, and public sector reform

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  • John Peters

Abstract

This article discusses public sector reform in North America and Western Europe. The argument is made that recent comparative literatures have yet to adequately consider governments themselves, and how changes to their budgeting, operation, and collective bargaining structures have affected jobs and income inequality. Drawing on a range of recent OECD and trade union statistics, as well as qualitative studies, it is claimed that governments converged substantially over period 1990–2005, introducing fiscal austerity measure and making substantive changes to public sector management and operation through privatization, marketization, and public-private partnerships. These substantially recast public sector industrial relations and led to job loss, labour market segmentation, and declining public sector labour power. This is the first study to report on comparative changes and qualitative reforms to fiscal policies, public sector services, and public sector labour forces in 13 OECD countries between 1980–2005.

Suggested Citation

  • John Peters, 2012. "Neoliberal convergence in North America and Western Europe: Fiscal austerity, privatization, and public sector reform," Review of International Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(2), pages 208-235.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rripxx:v:19:y:2012:i:2:p:208-235
    DOI: 10.1080/09692290.2011.552783
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    Cited by:

    1. Karen Jaehrling & Mathew Johnson & Trine P Larsen & Bjarke Refslund & Damian Grimshaw, 2018. "Tackling Precarious Work in Public Supply Chains: A Comparison of Local Government Procurement Policies in Denmark, Germany and the UK," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 32(3), pages 546-563, June.
    2. Ulrike Weske & Peter Leisink & Eva Knies, 2014. "Local government austerity policies in the Netherlands: the effectiveness of social dialogue in preserving public service employment," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 20(3), pages 403-416, August.
    3. Francesca Degiuli, 2022. "Shaping Long‐term Care for Older Adults: Exploring the Role of Geriatricians in Italy and the United States," Journal of Elder Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 2(2), pages 79-109, September.
    4. Lacey-Barnacle, M. & Smith, A. & Foxon, T.J., 2023. "Community wealth building in an age of just transitions: Exploring civil society approaches to net zero and future research synergies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    5. Giorgos Gouzoulis, 2023. "What do indebted employees do? Financialisation and the decline of industrial action," Industrial Relations Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(1), pages 71-94, January.
    6. Francesca Di Pillo & Nathan Levialdi & Laura Marchegiani, 2020. "The Investments in Energy Distribution Networks: Does Company Ownership Matter?," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 10(5), pages 41-49.
    7. Bjarke Refslund & Karen Jaehrling & Mathew Johnson & Aristea Koukiadaki & Trine Pernille Larsen & Christin Stiehm, 2020. "Moving In and Out of the Shadow of European Case Law: the Dynamics of Public Procurement in the Post‐Post‐Rüffert Era," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(5), pages 1165-1181, September.
    8. Olding, Michelle & Boyd, Jade & Kerr, Thomas & McNeil, Ryan, 2021. "“And we just have to keep going”: Task shifting and the production of burnout among overdose response workers with lived experience," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 270(C).
    9. Steen Scheuer & Flemming Ibsen & Laust Høgedahl, 2016. "Strikes in the public sector in Denmark – assessing the economic gains and losses of collective action," Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research, , vol. 22(3), pages 367-382, August.
    10. Hayton, John W., 2016. "Plotting the motivation of student volunteers in sports-based outreach work in the North East of England," Sport Management Review, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 563-577.
    11. Fabio Monteduro, 2014. "Public–private versus public ownership and economic performance: evidence from Italian local utilities," Journal of Management & Governance, Springer;Accademia Italiana di Economia Aziendale (AIDEA), vol. 18(1), pages 29-49, February.
    12. Jan Wynen & Bjorn Kleizen, 2019. "Improving dynamics or destroying human capital? The nexus between excess turnover and performance," Review of Managerial Science, Springer, vol. 13(2), pages 303-325, April.
    13. Yunji Kim & Austin M Aldag & Mildred E Warner, 2021. "Blocking the progressive city: How state pre-emptions undermine labour rights in the USA," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 58(6), pages 1158-1175, May.

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