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A Political Approach to Explaining Variation in Capitalist Systems

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The Effects of Political Institutions on Varieties of Capitalism

Abstract

This chapter provides a comprehensive review of the relevant literature in the varieties of capitalism debate. The chapter begins with a discussion of neocorporatist theories of capitalism and the limitations of the neocorporatist approach. I then discuss the rise of neoliberalism in the 1980s, and the subsequent convergence and divergence theories of the 1990s. The review ends with the rise of the varieties of capitalism framework and the ways by which an emphasis on the firm has shaped recent conceptions of capitalism variation. Lastly, I review and critically analyze the emerging research program attempting to create a more systematic understanding of the role politics and political institutions on capitalist divergence.

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  1. Mount Aloysius College, Cresson, Pennsylvania, USA

    Matthew P. Arsenault

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Arsenault, M.P. (2017). A Political Approach to Explaining Variation in Capitalist Systems. In: The Effects of Political Institutions on Varieties of Capitalism. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50892-4_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-50892-4_2

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