Year: 2011
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Are citizens’ level of satisfaction with the functioning of democracy affected by\nwelfare state-related policies and outcomes? Three-level analyses of Eurobarometer\nsurveys from three decades suggest that generosity in unemployment benefits (but not\npensions, sick pay, or income inequality) helps explain over-time within-country\nvariation in satisfaction with democracy. This effect is relatively stable across\nindividuals with different interests and values, but is conditioned by unemployment\nrates. Specifically, the results support a “visible costs hypothesis” predicting weaker\ngenerosity effects when more people are out of work. In conclusion, the long-term\nrise in unemployment in Western Europe may have assisted in the birth of dissatisfied\ndemocrats directly, as well as indirectly by disarming the previously legitimizing\nforce of unemployment protection policies.
Author: Staffan Kumlin
Institution: University of Oslo
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2300805283