An Institutional Embeddedness of Welfare Opinions? The Link between Public Opinion and Social Policy in the Netherlands (1970-2004)

Raven, Judith, Achterberg, Peter, van der Veen, Romke and Yerkes, Mara (2011) An Institutional Embeddedness of Welfare Opinions? The Link between Public Opinion and Social Policy in the Netherlands (1970-2004). Journal of Social Policy, 40 2: 369-386.


Author Raven, Judith
Achterberg, Peter
van der Veen, Romke
Yerkes, Mara
Title An Institutional Embeddedness of Welfare Opinions? The Link between Public Opinion and Social Policy in the Netherlands (1970-2004)
Journal name Journal of Social Policy  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank A)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2011
Sub-type Article
Year available 2010
DOI 10.1017/S0047279410000577
Volume number 40
Issue number 2
ISSN 0047-2794; 1469-7823
Start page 369
End page 386
Total pages 18
Place of publication Cambridge, United Kingdom
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Collection year 2012
Language eng
Abstract A major shortcoming in the existing literature on welfare state legitimacy is that it cannot explain when social policy designs follow public preferences and when public opinion follows existing policy designs and why. Scholars examining the influence of public opinion on welfare policies, as well as scholars investigating institutional influences on individual welfare attitudes, find empirical evidence to support both relationships. While a relationship in both directions is plausible, scholars have yet to thoroughly investigate the mutual relationship between these two. Consequently, we still do not know under which circumstances welfare institutions invoke public approval of welfare policies and under which circumstances public opinion drives welfare policy. Taking a quantitative approach to public opinion and welfare state policies in the Netherlands, this paper addresses this issue in an attempt to increase our understanding of welfare state legitimacy. The results show that individual opinions influence relatively new policies, policies which are not yet fully established and where policy designs are still evolving and developing. Social policy, on the other hand, is found to influence individual opinions on established and highly institutionalised policies, but does not influence individual opinions in relatively new areas of social policy.
Q-Index Code C1
Q-Index Status Confirmed Code
Institutional Status Non-UQ
Additional Notes Published online: 21 July 2010

Document type: Journal Article
Sub-type: Article
Collections: Institute for Social Science Research - Publications
Non HERDC
 
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Created: Wed, 19 Oct 2011, 14:09:01 EST by Sarah Flett on behalf of Institute for Social Science Research