The State after Statism
New State Activities in the Age of Liberalization
Published on 1. October 2006
Book
Paperback/Softback
488 pages
978-0-674-02277-5 (ISBN)
Description
This book assesses the changing nature of state intervention in the economies of the affluent democracies. Against a widespread understanding that contemporary developments, such as globalization and new technologies, are pressing for a rollback of state regulation in the economy, the book shows that these same forces are also creating new demands and opportunities for state intervention. Thus, state activism has shifted, rather than simply eroded.
State authorities have shifted from a market-steering orientation to a market-supporting one. Chief among the new state missions are: repairing the main varieties of capitalism (liberal, corporatist, and statist); making labor markets and systems of social protection more employment-friendly; recasting regulatory frameworks to permit countries to cross major economic and technological divides; and expanding market competition at home and abroad.
Because the changes from market steering to market support are so controversial and far-reaching, state officials often find themselves making choices that produce clear winners and losers. Such choices require a capacity to act unilaterally and decisively, even in the face of substantial societal opposition. As a result, state activism, autonomy, and occasionally imposition remain essential for meeting the challenges of today's globalizing economy.
State authorities have shifted from a market-steering orientation to a market-supporting one. Chief among the new state missions are: repairing the main varieties of capitalism (liberal, corporatist, and statist); making labor markets and systems of social protection more employment-friendly; recasting regulatory frameworks to permit countries to cross major economic and technological divides; and expanding market competition at home and abroad.
Because the changes from market steering to market support are so controversial and far-reaching, state officials often find themselves making choices that produce clear winners and losers. Such choices require a capacity to act unilaterally and decisively, even in the face of substantial societal opposition. As a result, state activism, autonomy, and occasionally imposition remain essential for meeting the challenges of today's globalizing economy.
Reviews / Votes
In what many have dubbed a "neo-liberal age," the state remains surprisingly powerful, argue the contributors to an intriguing new anthology entitled The State After Statism...While not light reading, [it] is highly recommended for those with a strong academic interest in limited government and the evolving role of government. -- Jurgen Reinhardt * American.com *More details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge, Mass
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
6 line illustrations, 6 tables
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 156 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-674-02277-5 (9780674022775)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2006
Harvard University Press
€91.99
Available for download
Person
Jonah D. Levy is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of California, Berkeley.
Content
List of Tables and Figures Preface Introduction: The State also Rises: The Roots of Contemporary State Activism Jonah Levy I. VARIETIES OF STATISM 1. The Transformation of the British State: From Club Government to State-Administered High Modernism Michael Moran 2. The Forgotten Center: State Activism and Corporatist Adjustment in Holland and Germany Anton Hemerijck and Mark Vail 3. Exiting Etatisme? New Directions in State Policy in France and Japan Jonah Levy, Mari Miura, and Gene Park II. THE STATE AND SOCIAL GROUPS 4. The State and the Reconstruction of Industrial Relations Institutions after Fordism: Britain and France Compared Chris Howell 5. Building Finance Capitalism: The Regulatory Politics of Corporate Governance Reform in the United States and Germany John Cioffi 6. From Maternalism to "Employment for All": State Policies to Promote Women's Employment across the Affluent Democracies Ann Shola Orloff III. THE MARKET-MAKING STATE 7. The State in the Digital Economy John Zysman and Abraham Newman 8. Building Global Service Markets: Economic Structure and State Capacity Peter Cowhey and John Richards 9. The Transformation of European Trading States Richard Steinberg Conclusion: The State after Statism: From Market Direction to Market Support Jonah Levy Notes References Contributors Index