A Cross-National Comparison of Welfare Effort during an Age of Welfare State Retrenchment

Abstract

This study presents analyses of socioeconomic and political perspectives in explaining government social welfare activities cross nationally. The indicators of social development 1970–1983 provided the empirical data, from which 1980 variables were extracted to conduct a series of multiple regression analyses. Variables are modeled as suggested by two major streams of theories – socioeconomic and political explanations for a nation's performance in welfare effort. A socioeconomic model containing gross national product (GNP) per capita and modernization was tested along with a political model that included freedom. Slightly stronger effects were detected in the socioeconomic model although the political model was significant as well. An integrated model was examined including both perspectives. Modernization was the only variable that was found significantly affecting the model. However, no claims of theoretical dominance were made in conclusion; rather this study suggested incorporating an improved complementary measure of different aspects in an increasingly globalized world-system.