Evolving Social Policies: The Importance of National Contexts

Social policy-making is not a technocratic exercise, nor is it directly determined by levels of economic development. It is shaped by national traditions that create path dependence — of institutions, ideas and practices. It is the outcome of political settlements, and often part of political projects, related to processes of nation building and the creation of social contracts or citizenship and the rights and duties of citizens. This chapter looks at national social policies from an historical perspective, which is essential for understanding the ways in which social policies come into being. National traditions, politics and ideologies — within a dynamic international context of competition, learning and pressure — shape patterns of inclusion and exclusion. They contain solidarity principles which are expressed through specific forms of private—public mix, statutory or community-based approaches, social insurance versus national service approaches, ways in which labour markets are structured, and indeed how social objectives are matched with economic ones.