The newest, quadripartite typology of Western European welfare states needs some modifications nowadays. The Nordic and the Southern model have remained intact but the Continental and the Anglo-Saxon types have significantly converged (regardless of the economic crisis) that can be explained...

Theories on the relationship of globalization and welfare state can be classified into three groups. Globalists hold that globalization threatens welfare state and the anticipated result is its retreat. Sceptics hold that globalization does not constrain the authonomy of national policy....