Moral Societal Renewal or Getting the Country Back to Work

Welfare State Culture as a Resource and a Constraint for Policy Discourse

Bibliographic Data

ID12805635
AuthorsPascal D König (0000-0001-9466-4024, corresponding author)
Year2015
Volume43
Issue5
Pages647-678
Publication date2015-10-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitics & Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1555-5623 • E-ISSN: 1747-1346
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/polp.12130
OpenAlexW1882447704
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited60

This article deals with welfare culture as an ideational constraint for governments’ use of normative ideas and justifications in their policy communication. The analysis is based on a focused comparison of reforms related to the labor market that were passed by the governments under David Cameron (the United Kingdom), Mariano Rajoy (Spain), and Enda Kenny (Ireland). The cases were chosen because of their similar broader context while the welfare regimes and cultures differ between the countries. Based on key speeches by the heads of governments and the responsible ministers, a qualitative content analysis extracts justifications in their communication. As the analysis shows, the three cases differ in both the extent and the content of normative justifications in a way that is in line with the differences in the welfare cultures. Furthermore, the findings from the Irish government suggest that party ideology adds to the welfare culture in shaping a government's policy communication. Related Articles Delshad , Ashlie B. 2013 . “.” Politics & Policy 41 (): 213 ‐ 240 . http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/polp.12009/abstract Shanahan , Elizabeth A. , McBeth , Mark K. , and Hathaway , Paul L. 2011 . “.” Politics & Policy 39 (): 373 ‐ 400 . http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2011.00295.x/abstract

Context (archaeology · Ideology · Normative · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Sociology · State (computer science · Welfare · Welfare reform · Welfare state · Healthcare innovation and challenges · History · Law · Political and Economic history of UK and US · Public Administration · Social Policy and Reform Studies

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