Liberal versus protective models of welfare capitalism -- The left divided -- Democratic transitions and the transformation of the Portuguese and Spanish lefts -- Reversal of fortune: the politics of labor incorporation -- The evolution of labor market protections : intra-left competition and political exchange -- The dynamics of change in Iberia's divided left -- The left divided and divergent solutions to the agrarian social question -- Extending the argument -- Broader lessons of the left divided
Summary
Why do some countries construct strong systems of social protection, while others leave workers exposed to market forces? One of the most robust findings of the comparative political economy literature is the claim that the more political resources are controlled by the left, the more likely a country is to have generous, universal welfare states. In contrast, this book argues, through in-depth case studies of Portugal and Spain, that the strength of the far left is an important and overlooked determinant of social protection outcomes
