Why Are European Countries Diverging in Their Unemployment Experience?

Gilles Saint-Paul

No 1066, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: During the nineties, unemployment has fallen in a number of European countries while it has remained high in others. The paper discusses potential causes for that evolution in light of recent economic research, emphasizing obstacles to reform due to political constraints, the prevalence of ideology, and agency issues within those bureaucracies concerned with the unemployment problem. Some speculative thoughts are offered as to why those factors might be more stringent in countries where unemployment remained high.

Keywords: labour market reform; ideology; unemployment; political economy; flexibility (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D7 E24 J6 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 41 pages
Date: 2004-03
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev and nep-eec
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (110)

Published - published in: Journal of Economic Perspectives, 2004, 18 (4), 49-68

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Journal Article: Why are European Countries Diverging in their Unemployment Experience? (2004)
Working Paper: Why are European Countries Diverging in their Unemployment Experience? (2004)
Working Paper: Why are European Countries Diverging in their Unemployment Experience? (2004)
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