The Responsiveness of Social Policies in Europe

This comparative study explains how public policies in welfare states have been affected by social and economic factors including secularization, globalization, and changes in the preferences and ideologies of citizens. Illuminating developments across Europe with insights drawn from their case study of the Netherlands, the authors show that policymakers must continually balance the changing and often conflicting interests of multiple institutions and social forces. Their insights make essential reading for academics and students interested in the institutional development of social policies.