comparative politics - welfare state

final exam for comp politics at uw

what do analyses of inequality focus on?

distribution of wages, earnings or income

why do concepts of inequality matter?

for normative, empirical, and policy-related reasons

list the main types of inequality

earning inequality, income inequality, poverty, wealth inequality, opportunity, outcomes, multidimensional inequality

what is the main driver of economic inequality in agriculture?

local geographic conditions

how do constant vs. increasing returns to scale crops affect inequality?

• increasing returns to scale → need for plantation → more slave labor → more inequality

• constant returns → small farms → less inequality

what are examples of increasing returns to scale crops?

sugarcane, cotton, bananas, tobacco

what are examples of constant returns to scale crops?

wheat, maize, rice

how does pride and prejudice illustrate inequality through inheritance?

bennet family earns 3000 pounds, top 1%, but girls would only inherit 40 pounds due to laws, risk fo downward mobility

what do equitable inheritance customs do?

reduce inequalities, especially for women, and weaken hereditary aristocratic classes

what are four ways societies cope with inequality?

markets, family transfers, government/welfare state, welfare initiatives

what is the welfare state’s core purpose?

protect and promote citizens economic and social well-being

what principles underpin welfare states?

equality of opportunity, equitable wealth distribution, public responsibility

what is vertical distribution?

transfers from rich to poor

what is horizontal distribution?

smoothing income over a lifetime, nor rich to poor

what are the main types of taxes?

income, sales, property, corporate income

what tax raises the largest share of revenue?

income tax, about 50%

what are features of the social democratic welfare state?

universalism, high-quality services, autonomy from market/family

key principle of christian democracy?

subsidiarity, strong role of social insurance and family responsibility

what defines liberal welfare states?

minimal state intervention, means tested assistance, market-driven welfare

why did matlhus oppose welfare?

believed welfare encouraged early marriage and unsustainable population growth

what was malthus’s core argument?

population grows exponentially, food supply grows linearly → inevitable inequality

what welfare programs did bismarck introduce?

workers compensation, sick leave, pensions, later unemployment insurance

two ways ww2 stimulated welfare states?

• massive social needs for veterans, refugees

• economic decline and unemployment pushed states to expand welfare

how did mass warfare change state capacity?

expanded government institutions and adminstrative power

what drives welfare expansion in democracies?

voter preference aggregation

what drives welfare expansion in autocracies?

economic growth concerns, fear of revolution, fear of unrest