The Welfare State
It is ESOP’s ambition to explore the sustainability of generous welfare states as well as their specific programs and policies. What determines performance and their economic and political feasibility?
Welfare states provide valuable safety nets, insurance, and redistribution, but these policies also affect people’s incentive to work, save, and invest. The political support for the welfare state depends, among other things, on the distribution of income. Gender also plays an important role as women are strong supporters of the welfare state. The willingness to pay taxes may in turn depend on what the welfare state provides and whom it provides this for. These interdependencies must be accounted for.
Our findings
Selected publications
Havnes, Tarjei and Magne Mogstad (2010) «No Child Left Behind. Subsidized child care and children's long-run outcomes», American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 3 (2), pages 97-129.
Barth, Erling and Kalle Moene (2010) "The equality multiplier", ESOP Working Paper.
Rege, Mari, Kjetil Telle and Mark Votruba (2009) "The Effect of Plant Downsizing on Disability Pension Utilization", Journal of the European Economic Association 7 (4), pages 754-785.
Bratsberg, Bernt, Oddbjørn Raaum and Knut Røed (2010) "When Minority Labor Migrants Meet the Welfare State", Journal of Labor Economics 28 (3), pages 633-676.
Brekke, Kjell Arne and Snorre Kverndokk (forthcoming) "Inadequate Bivariate Measures of Health Inequality: The Impact of Income Distribution", Scandinavian Journal of Economics.
Syse, Astri, Steinar Tretli and Øystein Kravdal (2009) "The Impact of Cancer on Spouses' Labor Earnings: A Population-Based Study", Cancer 115 (18), pages 4350-4361.
Hassler, John, Per Krusell, Kjetil Storesletten and Fabrizio Zilibotti (2008) "On the Optimal Timing of Capital Taxes", Journal of Monetary Economics 55 (4), pages 692-709.
Blomquist, Sören, Vidar Christiansen and Luca Micheletto (2010) "Public Provision of Private Goods and Nondistortionary Marginal Tax Rates", American Economic Journal: Economic Policy 2 (2), pages 1-27.
Core publications by subject
List of core publications by subject (pdf)