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A short thread on the cultural bases of the welfare state.
It is a sociological and historical fact that perceptions of collectively “shared background” (however defined) make it much easier to generate political support for risk- and burden-sharing outside the family. 1/
It is a sociological and historical fact that perceptions of collectively “shared background” (however defined) make it much easier to generate political support for risk- and burden-sharing outside the family. 1/
If you doubt this, check out this Pew map that compares diversity across countries. With the noble exception of Canada, highly diverse states are almost never welfare states. pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2013… 2/
And, at a high level of abstraction, the reason for this is fairly straightforward: perceptions of “shared background” (however defined) makes it much easier to generate political support for risk- and burden-sharing outside the family. 3/
This insight is even stronger when comparisons are made longitudinally rather than laterally. For example: when did the United States make the most progress on generating institutions designed to produce risk- and burden-sharing? 4/
The answer is: the 1930s-1960s (the New Deal through the Great Society). This was precisely the period when (non-white) immigration was largely shut down and the idea of the melting pot was popularized. These things enabled the promotion of collective welfare institutions. 5/
Properly understood, this should be uncomfortable for both Right & Left. For the Left, because it means that its diversity project is at odds with its social welfare project; for the Right because its anti-diversity project will create conditions propitious for redistribution. 6/
At least, that’s the case in the United States. In Europe the alignments are different and clearer: the “far right” (e.g. anti-immigration) parties are often the staunchest defenders of the welfare state. 7/
Much more so than the Social Democrats, who have mostly embraced “multiculti” while often acceding to neoliberal demands to scale back and/or means test various aspects of the welfare state. 8/
Or than Christian Democrats, who tend be weakly pro-immigration albeit culturally pro-assimilationist, while at the same time skeptical of (if not hostile to) the welfare state. 9/
So the lesson for all concerned: be careful what you wish for, because there are two great tragedies in life: to not get your heart’s desire, and to get it. 10/10
