1. The Politics of Minimum Income in the Age of Austerity: An Introduction.- 2. Groups, Parties, and Credit-Claiming Dynamics. The Politics of Minimum Income in the Age of Austerity.- 3. Minimum Income Protection in Italy and Spain.- 4. Regional Minimum Income Schemes in Italy: The Cases of Friuli Venezia Giulia and Lazio.- 5. Regional Minimum Income Schemes in Spain: The Cases of the Community of Madrid and Castile and León.- 6. Explaining Policy Trajectories of Regional Minimum Income Schemes in Italy and Spain.- 7. Credit-Claiming Dynamics and Minimum Income Reforms in the Age of Austerity. 

Minimum income schemes (MIS) have become key social protection institutions for European citizens, but we know little regarding the logic and dynamics of institutional change in this policy field. This book provides an analytical model that will facilitate an understanding of the scope and direction of recent reforms, offering insight into the conditions under which minimum income schemes are introduced, expanded or retrenched. Natili presents a comparative analysis of policy trajectories of minimum income schemes in Italy and Spain between the mid-1980s and 2015. Although these two countries had similar points of departure, and faced comparable functional pressures and institutional constraints, they experienced remarkably different developments in this policy field in the last two decades. This comparative analysis provides empirical evidence of the impacts of different types of credit-claiming dynamics resulting from the interaction of socio-political demand with political supply. The Politics of Minimum Income also assesses the reform processes both in countries that have introduced MIS in the age of austerity (such as Portugal) and in countries that have retrenched them (Austria and Denmark).

“Minimum income schemes are a crucial component of any modern welfare state and Natili’s book provides a clear and convincing account of how these schemes have been introduced in Italy and Spain. It shows that the politics surrounding minimum income is extremely complex, intersecting traditional left-right division with aspirations for relevance of the subnational units. The result is a highly competent account of the way in which social policy change can happen in Southern Europe. ” (Giuliano Bonoli, University of Lausanne, Switzerland)“The Great Recession has highlighted the key role played by the safety net in buffering citizens' economic and social security. This sound and well documented study focuses on Italy and Spain and unveils the complex political dynamics that have underpinned the establishment of minimum income schemes at the regional level and their long term resilience. A must read for welfare state scholars in Europe and beyond.” (Maurizio Ferrera, University of Milan, Italy) “Minimum income schemes in Italy and Spain can be difficult to grasp. On the one hand, they typically differ significantly from one region to another. On the other hand, they are often subject to a significant degree of policy change (and, in the case of Italy, policy reversal and discontinuity). As a result, they have always been difficult to decipher, including to most analysts based in the two countries concerned. Natili’s book injects a much-needed dose of clarity into the topic. His approach seeks to explain the different trajectories of Spanish and Italian minimum income schemes between regions and across time by emphasizing the role of political competition. Theoretically informed and empirically grounded, “The politics of minimum income” is compulsory reading for scholars and students seeking to make sense of social safety nets in Southern Europe, and of the sometimes contorted politics that have shaped their evolution in time.” (Manos Matsaganis, Polytechnic University of Milan, Italy)  

Presents a comparative historical analysis of policy trajectories of minimum income schemes in Italy and Spain between the mid-1980s and 2015. Identifies the most influential interest groups in the area of minimum income and traces the preferences and competitive strategies adopted by different left and right parties in this domain. Focuses on party-group interactions and credit claiming dynamics to interpret path departure, gradual institutionalization and policy reversal in minimum income reforms.

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