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Title: Social Policy by Popular Demand

Citation Type: Journal Article

Publication Year: 2011

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Abstract: Why are unemployment benefits more generous in some countries? This article argues that citizens trade off the redistributive and insuring effect of social insurance. As a consequence, the distribution of risk in a society has important consequences via popular demand for social policy making. At the micro-level, the article shows that, in addition to income, the risk of unemployment is a key predictor of individual-level preferences for unemployment benefits. Based on the micro-level findings, the article argues that at the macro-level the homogeneity of the risk pool is an important determinant of benefit generosity: The more equally unemployment risk is distributed the higher unemployment replacement rates are. Empirical testing at both levels finds strong support for this account of social policy by popular demand.

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Authors: Rehm, Philip

Periodical (Full): World Politics

Issue: 2

Volume: 63

Pages: 271-299

Data Collections: IPUMS USA

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