Bibtex export
@article{ Shim2020, title = {Left is right and right is left? Partisan difference on social welfare and particularistic benefits in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan}, author = {Shim, Jaemin}, journal = {Journal of International and Comparative Social Policy}, number = {1}, pages = {25-41}, volume = {36}, year = {2020}, issn = {2169-978X}, doi = {https://doi.org/10.1017/ics.2020.2}, urn = {https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-68626-1}, abstract = {This paper investigates elite-level partisan differences along the socioeconomic dimension in three developed East Asian democracies - Japan, South Korea and Taiwan. On the one hand, the mainstream literature in welfare studies and party politics expects left- and right-leaning parties should vary significantly in utilizing social policy promises. On the other hand, the path dependency logic tells us that left-right difference should be found over particularistic benefits, such as agricultural subsidies or construction projects, considering that these were central means for right-leaning parties to maintain their power during the developmental state period in the three countries. Using an original bill-sponsorship data set between 1987 and 2012, we find that there has not been any substantial difference in the agenda setting of conventional social welfare bills between left- and right-wing government periods. However, a clear elective affinity can be observed between established right-wing parties and particularistic benefits. The paper shows that contextualizing key political actors' preferences can lead to a more systematic understanding of political dynamics behind the socioeconomic dimension in non-Anglo-European countries.}, keywords = {Sozialpolitik; social policy; politische Richtung; political direction; Pfadabhängigkeit; path dependence; Sponsoring; sponsoring; Sozialökonomie; social economics; Japan; Japan; Südkorea; South Korea; Taiwan; Taiwan; Ostasien; Far East; Parteipolitik; party politics; politische Rechte; political right; politische Linke; political left}}