'Still the Century of Corporatism?' Corporatism in Southern Europe. Spain and Portugal in Comparative Perspective, CES Working Paper, no.75

Royo, Sebastian. (2001) 'Still the Century of Corporatism?' Corporatism in Southern Europe. Spain and Portugal in Comparative Perspective, CES Working Paper, no.75. [Working Paper]

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Abstract

This paper analyzes the resurgence of national-level social bargaining in two European states: Portugal and Spain. It argues that this development derives from the combination of two main factors: the weakening of trade union organizations at the branch and firm level, and the emergence of new institutions to promote tripartite social bargaining. These developments contributed to a transformation in the pattern of industrial relations. In both countries new emerging constraints and incentives to change largely determined the interaction and strategies of the social actors. In addition, in a new economic, political, and social environment the strategies of the social actors were less conditioned by pre-existing institutions. On the contrary, the changing balance of power affected their predisposition to pursue other strategies through a new set of institutions. Finally, the paper also examines the implications of the Portuguese and Spanish experiences for the broader debate on European Monetary Union.

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