The Political Economy of Household Services in Europe

This edited volume assesses from a variety of perspectives the policies introduced to support the development of household services across Europe. It highlights the impact of these costly policies on the creation of low quality jobs and on labour market dualisation, and questions their social and economic outcomes.

"This is a wonderfully illuminating book presenting a new incisive analysis of the political economy of household services. It throws light on the increasing use of tax breaks in Continental and Nordic welfare states to support the private employment of household and care services. While the political legitimacy for this is that it helps the productivity of skilled professional workers in the knowledge economy and employment for those marginalised from the labor market, the reality is new social, gendered and ethnic inequalities and labour market dualisms. A major contribution to understanding the contradictions of neo-liberal welfare polices." - Fiona Williams, University of Leeds, UK

"Using public policy to create new incentive structures for the marketization of household services is one of the very important albeit under-analysed directions of change as welfare regimes are restructured. Nathalie Morel and Clément Carbonnier have assembled a truly impressive array of experts to describe and assess this redesign and thereby to make it fully visible to social policy analysis. The cross-disciplinary approach bringing together, among others, political scientists, economists and sociologists provides a rich array of lens with which to view reliance on tax credits to replace more familiar policy instruments in order to achieve market-making policy effects." - Jane Jenson, Université de Montréal, Canada

"This book puts into perspective some celebratedemployment miracles, which, if on the one hand they allowed low skilled individuals to access jobs, at the same time reinforced old inequalities and generated new ones. With its multidisciplinary approach, this book sheds light on the increasing use of fiscal instruments in Continental and Nordic welfare states to foster low skilled employment, on the labour market outcomes of these policies, as well as on their social and welfare consequences. A recommended reading to all those who want to understand the complexity of post-industrial societies." - Giuliano Bonoli, Swiss Graduate School of Public Administration, Switzerland

Autorentext
Clément Carbonnier, University of Cergy-Pontoise, France Nathalie Morel, Sciences Po, France Kristiina Aalto, University of Helsinki, Finland Catharina Calleman, Stockholm University, Sweden François-Xavier Devetter, University of Lille, France Virginie Guiraudon, Sciences Po, France Heikki Hiilamo, University of Helsinki, Finland Florence Jany-Catrice, University of Lille, France Clémence Ledoux, University of Nantes, France Marion Lefebvre, University of Lille, France Kai Leichsenring, European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna Ive Marx, University of Antwerp, Belgium Anita Nyberg, Stockholm University, Sweden Andrea Schmidt, European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna Karen Shire, University Duisburg-Essen, Germany Dieter Vandelannoote, Herman Deleeck Centre for Social Policy, Belgium Juliane Winkelmann, European Centre for Social Welfare Policy and Research, Vienna

Inhalt

1. Taking The Low Road: The Political Economy Of Household Services In Europe; Nathalie Morel And Clément Carbonnier
   PART I: THE POLITICS OF SUBSIDIZING DOMESTIC SERVICES IN EUROPE
   
   2. The Politics Of Tax Exemptions For Household Services In France; Virginie Guiraudon; Clémence Ledoux
   3. Creating A 'Personal Services' Sector In France; Florence Jany-Catrice
   4. The Politics Of Domestic Outsourcing In Finland And Sweden; Heikki Hiilamo
   5. State Policies Encouraging The Outsourcing Of Personal And Household Labour In Germany: Familialism And Women's Employment In Conservative Welfare States; Karen Shire
      PART II: TAKING THE LOW ROAD? THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW-END SERVICE ECONOMY FOR EUROPE
   6. Clean Homes On Dirty Conditions? Regulation And Working Conditions In The Domestic Work Sector In Sweden; Catharina Calleman
   7. Employment Quality In The Sector Of Personal And Household Services: Status And Impact Of Public Policies In France; François-Xavier Devetter; Marion Lefebvre
   8. Regulating Migrants As A Low-Cost Solution: The Formalisation Of A Dual Care Labour Market In Austria; Juliane Winkelmann; Andrea E. Schmidt; Kai Leichsenring
      PART III: MONEY WELL SPENT? SERVICES USED, BENEFICIARIES AND EMPLOYMENT EFFECT OF THESE POLICIES
   9. Matthew Runs Amok: The Belgian Service Voucher Scheme; Ive Marx; Dieter Vandelannoote
   10. The Swedish Rut-Deduction: A Subsidy For Formal Employment Or For High Income Earners' Leisure Time?; Anita Nyberg
   11. The Finnish Tax Reduction For Domestic Costs: Consumption Patterns; Kristiina Aalto
   12. Job Creation, Public Cost And Distributive Profile Of Tax Allowances For Household Services In France; Clément Carbonnier