Towards greater social investments and equality in Europe and East Asia: policies and politics

Abstract

This chapter evaluates developments towards greater social investments and the related politics in Europe and East Asia, in addition to reviewing the policy implications suggested by the contributors to this book. It studies the uneven social investment turn in the two regions and provides insight into the roads and barriers towards greater social investments. The chapter shows that family and labour market policies, and their very different outcomes, are underpinned by diverse political dynamics, rather than by a politics of social investment. It proposes that the traditional prominence of social partners in labour market policy-making remains largely intact, but the power balance has shifted towards businesses. Ultimately, the chapter argues that it is important for policy-makers to understand the specific political dynamics of a given policy area and to devise a strategy for social investment accordingly. It then reviews the findings of chapters of this book and their wide-ranging policy recommendations for social and economic progress.