High unemployment in many European OECD countries has been attributed to factors ranging from rigid wages and low job mobility to an interaction of high taxes and generous social benefits that may discourage labor force participation and encourage the growth of an underground economy. This...

Intro -- Series Foreword -- Acknowledgments -- Introduction and Summary -- I Taxation and Labor Markets: The Broader Perspective -- 1 Tax Policy and Labor Market Performance -- 2 Work and Taxes -- 3 Do Social Policies Harm Employment and Growth? Second-best Effects of Taxes and Benets on...

A number of trends are changing the nature of social risks and increase the importance of human capital, adaptability, and flexibility. This article discusses the usefulness of a life-course perspective in developing proactive social policies that better fit the changing life cycles of...