Political Science 263, European Political Economy Spring Term 2004

FIRST PAPER ASSIGNMENT

Select one of the following five countries: Austria, Denmark, Belgium, Sweden, or the Netherlands. In a five-six page (typed, double-spaced, 12 cpi, one-inch margins, paginated) essay, specify:

(1) the political economic regime: statist, corporatist, liberal, "incoherent." Be sure to justify why you believe the appellation you've selected applies.

(2) the dominant kind of economic policies:

(a) type of industrial policies (be specific to particular policy instruments, examples of how they have worked and how they have changed)

(b) welfare state policies (specific programs, types, examples of how they have worked and how they have changed)

(c) Extra credit: macroeconomic policies (conservative, expansionary, etc.) and explain how these have affected the operation of industrial and welfare state policies.

(3) the behavior of organized labor: how workers organize (type of organizations, their influence, legal restrictions, relationship with business associations and/or firms). Highlight particular events or processes that epitomize the nature of union organization and activity and how these have evolved.

(4) macroeconomic performance: discuss the overall performance of the economy in the post-WWII period and up to the 1990s period.

After outlining the institutions of economic and social policy and labor markets in the country of your choice, assess to what extent economic actors and governments have been successful in weathering the challenges posed by "globalization." Be sure to specify what elements of the Keynesian class compromise have been weakened or sacrificed for the sake of improving the "competitiveness" of the economy. Specify how governments, labor unions, and business have responded to these challenges.

Support your arguments with references to the class readings and lectures. I have placed various articles on each country on reserve at the library to provide you with additional materials that you may use. These materials are organized by country in separate files on e-reserves and physical reserves. All supporting sources should be cited using endnotes.

I encourage you to form small groups to plan out your strategy for composing this first writing assignment. I will arrange a voluntary discussion section on this paper at least one week prior to the due date.