The Politics of Minimum Income

Minimum income schemes (MIS) have become key social protection institutions for European citizens, but we know little regarding the logic and dynamics of institutional change in this policy field. This book provides an analytical model that will facilitate an understanding of the scope and direction of recent reforms, offering insight into the conditions under which minimum income schemes are introduced, expanded or retrenched. Natili presents a comparative analysis of policy trajectories of minimum income schemes in Italy and Spain between the mid-1980s and 2015. Although these two countries had similar points of departure, and faced comparable functional pressures and institutional constraints, they experienced remarkably different developments in this policy field in the last two decades. This comparative analysis provides empirical evidence of the impacts of different types of credit-claiming dynamics resulting from the interaction of socio-political demand withpolitical supply. The Politics of Minimum Income also assesses the reform processes both in countries that have introduced MIS in the age of austerity (such as Portugal) and in countries that have retrenched them (Austria and Denmark).

Presents a comparative historical analysis of policy trajectories of minimum income schemes in Italy and Spain between the mid-1980s and 2015. Identifies the most influential interest groups in the area of minimum income and traces the preferences and competitive strategies adopted by different left and right parties in this domain. Focuses on party-group interactions and credit claiming dynamics to interpret path departure, gradual institutionalization and policy reversal in minimum income reforms.

Autorentext
Marcello Natili is a Post-doc at the University of Milan, member of the European Social Policy Network and of the Welfare Laboratory at Centro Einaudi, Turin. His works have been published in journals such as Journal of European Social Policies, European Societies, Italian Journal of Public Policy, Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy, Social Policies / Politiche Sociali.

Inhalt

1. The Politics of Minimum Income in the Age of Austerity: An Introduction.- 2. Groups, Parties, and Credit-Claiming Dynamics. The Politics of Minimum Income in the Age of Austerity.- 3. Minimum Income Protection in Italy and Spain.- 4. Regional Minimum Income Schemes in Italy: The Cases of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Lazio.- 5. Regional Minimum Income Schemes in Spain: The Cases of the Community of Madrid and Castile and León.- 6. Explaining Policy Trajectories of Regional Minimum Income Schemes in Italy and Spain.- 7. Credit-Claiming Dynamics and Minimum Income Reforms in the Age of Austerity.