Social policy responsiveness in multilevel contexts: How vertical diffusion of competences affects the opinion-policy link

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Peters, Yvette
• 署名单位: University of Bergen
• 刊物名称: GOVERNANCE-AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF POLICY ADMINISTRATION AND INSTITUTIONS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0952-1895
• DOI: 10.1111/gove.12482
• 发表日期: 2021
• 关键词: public preferences; WELFARE-STATE; REPRESENTATION; GLOBALIZATION; expenditure; DYNAMICS; POLITICS; patterns; PARTIES; agenda

摘要

Do multilevel structures of governance affect representation? This study examines how regionalization and globalization are related to social policy responsiveness. It has been argued that the interests of nonpopular actors, such as international organizations or private corporations, have gained importance in determining public policies. Moreover, national governments have delegated decision-making capabilities down to subnational authorities. These developments might constrain governments in their policymaking, leading them to be less responsive to their citizens' preferences. I investigate whether the relation between public opinion and welfare state effort is affected by globalization and decentralization. To examine these relations and possible explanations, I analyze data from the European Social Survey (2002-2012) and from Eurostat using a time-series cross-sectional approach. Consistent with the expectations set out in this study, I find that decentralization facilitates, while globalization hinders, the responsiveness of welfare spending to public preferences.