Korporatismi, työllisyys ja makrotalouden suorituskyky 18 OECD-maassa

Authors

• Petteri Mäki-Arvela

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to estimate empirically the influence of social corporatism and various other international differences on employment and general macroeconomic performance in industrialized countries. Along with an index of corporatism, variables of economic and military alliances and religion in the respective countries were included. Comparative estimations using more microbased variables characterizing the quality of the workforce and level of social security were also carried out. OLS-regression results of pooled time-series/cross-sectional analysis provided clear statistical significance between the expected interdependences: high levels of corporatism and Protestantism in a country were found to boost employment and economic growth, as well as create inflationary pressures. Evidence was also found that membership of the EU and of military alliances (NATO/SEATO) as well as general economic openness do have a negative influence on employment. Increased wage dispersion, the growth of productivity and an abundance of human capital had positive relationships with high levels of employment. Analysis then proved the relevance of these political variables and international dependences when explaining economic phenomena. Eroding corporatism in the Scandinavian countries in the 1990’s seems to jeopardize the relevance of corporatism in the contemporary, increasingly integrating economy. Experience from previous decades still indicates that a rapid dismantling of present negotiative structures linked with corporatism could lead to deteriorating economic development in these countries, due to the increased monopoly power of narrow-sector trade unions.