Social Democratic Responses to Integrated Markets. The Relationship between Market and State, Hierarchy and Consensus

The article analyzes how far the six social democratic ruling parties in Denmark, France, Germany, GB, the Netherlands, & Sweden pursue a common path both programmatically & in their implemented policy. The basic assumption is that social democracy is not able to pursue its traditional goals in fiscal, social, & labor market policy under the challenges of integrated global & European markets. Analyzing the pursued policy in the six countries we assess that social democratic parties carried out a policy in favor of markets to a varying extent. Convergences can be found cross-nationally in the implemented policy of budget consolidation & in the activation of labor market policy whereas the most significant divergences are found in social policy. In the two former policy areas a common social democratic policy model becomes apparent. The national context, especially the party competition & the relationship between unions & social democracy account for the implemented policy as well as for the pursued strategies. 3 Tables, 62 References. Adapted from the source document.