Comparing the national contexts

Chapter 5 provides a comparative analysis of the country studies on self-employed professionals presented in Chapter 4, by explaining variances and convergences among European countries, and aspects of continuity or discontinuity with the past. A common cross-country feature is that self-employed workers benefit from weaker social rights than regular employees. Thus, the chapter tries to answer the question whether self-employed workers are going to receive better social protection. Three degrees of social protection for the self-employed are identified across Europe. However, in order to reach an appropriate understanding of the complex and fragmented dynamics occurring in the European labour market, the chapter suggests a multidimensional interpretative approach is appropriate. This has to combine structural dimensions (e.g. a regulatory framework, an industrial relations system, economic development, cultural openness vis-Ã -vis new work arrangements, socio-demographic characteristics) with agency factors (e.g. institutional entrepreneurship, strategies emanating from unions, quasi-unions and labour market intermediaries) and political reforms.