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Employment 'Miracles'

A Critical Comparison of the Dutch, Scandinavian, Swiss, Australian and Irish Cases versus Germany and the US

Becker editor Herman Schwartz editor

Format:Paperback

Publisher:Amsterdam University Press

Published:4th Apr '05

Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back

Employment 'Miracles' cover

This insightful book examines the economic boom of the 1990s by analyzing the success of select 'miracle economies' and their unique institutional frameworks.

In Employment 'Miracles', the authors delve into the economic successes of select countries during the 1990s, exploring the factors that contributed to their impressive growth. This comparative analysis focuses on seven nations, including the Netherlands, Denmark, and Ireland, highlighting how their small size and unique institutional structures played a crucial role in their economic achievements. The contributors provide critical insights into these 'miracle economies' and how they serve as models for other nations seeking similar prosperity.

The book contrasts these economies with larger markets like the United States and Germany, examining how differing policies, such as liberal versus corporatist or social democratic approaches, impact job creation and income inequality. Through this lens, Employment 'Miracles' illustrates the complex interplay between economic policy and social outcomes, shedding light on how various strategies can lead to different levels of success in employment and wealth distribution.

Additionally, the authors emphasize the significance of fortunate circumstances, such as the housing price bubble, that may have inadvertently aided these economies during their boom periods. This multifaceted exploration makes Employment 'Miracles' an essential resource for political scientists and economists alike, offering valuable perspectives on the dynamics of employment development and the factors that drive economic success in diverse contexts.

Employment “miracles” challenges the conventional wisdom that full employment and good overall economic performance is a function of a particular recipe of policies and institutions. To the extent that deliberate policies have played a role in recent success stories, they are embedded in nationally specific social, economic, and political institutions, which cannot be easily emulated. The book therefore offers a stern warning against the temptation, so rarely resisted, to draw sweeping generalizations from particular national “models.” But while there is no magic bullet, the book is optimistic about the capacity of countries with very different institutions to be successful in a fiercely competitive global economy. There is no necessary tradeoff between competitiveness and a large redistributive welfare state, and success is not synonymous with US-style deregulation. This is a point that is brought out in a nuanced and insightful fashion by the individual country chapters. Anyone interested in understanding the relationship between the economy, public policy, and economic performance is well-advised to read this important and timely new book. Torben Iversen Professor of Government Center for European Studies Harvard University

ISBN: 9789053567555

Dimensions: unknown

Weight: 570g

288 pages