The Dynamics of Social and Labour Market Policies in France and the United Kingdom: Between Path Dependence and Convergence

Abstract

Significant social and labour market policy reforms have taken place in most European countries since the beginning of the 1990s. These changes warrant an examination of the dynamics of differing national models from two opposing analytical perspectives: path dependence (signifying that initial differences persist) and convergence (merging towards a single model). This article compares the national models in France and the UK. Fundamental principles of social protection and labour market policy in each country were contrasting in the early 1990s; however, both experienced numerous reforms at the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s. We show that although the UK and France stick to differentiated institutional paths, nevertheless, some convergence towards job supply-oriented employment and social policies emerges at the end of the period. Therefore, path dependence theory appears to be highly significant in understanding the dynamics of national regimes, but this reference should be amended to include other forms of change that enable a functional convergence of initially differing systems. Neoinstitutionalist theory, in particular North’s work (North, 1990), is likely to underpin this more general framework to include insights into the role of informal factors, especially ideas.