Dennie Oude Nijhuis (Ph.D., 2009) is assistant professor at Leiden University's Institute for History and senior researcher at the International Institute for Social History (IISH).

'Oude-Nijhuis's book on the Dutch welfare state stands out as one of the most astute and comprehensive studies ever of social policy evolution in a capitalist democracy. Because of its fine-grained historical research and careful analysis, comparativists have in it a model for future research and thinking on the capitalist welfare state.' - Peter A. Swenson, BA Princeton University, Ph.D. Yale University, is Yale's C.M. Saden Professor of Political Science

• LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES, LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, PREFACE Part I: HISTORY AND THEORY 1. The Dutch Welfare Puzzle 2. The Politics of Social Solidarity Part II. THE POLITICS OF WELFARE STATE EXPANSION 3. Welfare Reform in the Age of Austerity 4. Welfare State Expansion and the Confessional Preoccupation with Self-help and Personal Responsibility 5. Completing the Social Insurance System 6. Catering to the Low Paid Part III. THE POLITICS OF RETRENCHMENT 7. The Emergence of Welfare Without Work 8. Tackling the Inactivity Crisis 9. Towards an Active Welfare State 10 Population Ageing and the Need for Further Reform Part IV. CONCLUSION 11. The Political Determinants of Solidaristic Reform, Notes, Index

Dennie Oude Nijhuis (Ph.D., 2009) is assistant professor at Leiden University's Institute for History and senior researcher at the International Institute for Social History (IISH).

'Oude-Nijhuis's book on the Dutch welfare state stands out as one of the most astute and comprehensive studies ever of social policy evolution in a capitalist democracy. Because of its fine-grained historical research and careful analysis, comparativists have in it a model for future research and thinking on the capitalist welfare state.' - Peter A. Swenson, BA Princeton University, Ph.D. Yale University, is Yale's C.M. Saden Professor of Political Science

• LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES, LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS, PREFACE Part I: HISTORY AND THEORY 1. The Dutch Welfare Puzzle 2. The Politics of Social Solidarity Part II. THE POLITICS OF WELFARE STATE EXPANSION 3. Welfare Reform in the Age of Austerity 4. Welfare State Expansion and the Confessional Preoccupation with Self-help and Personal Responsibility 5. Completing the Social Insurance System 6. Catering to the Low Paid Part III. THE POLITICS OF RETRENCHMENT 7. The Emergence of Welfare Without Work 8. Tackling the Inactivity Crisis 9. Towards an Active Welfare State 10 Population Ageing and the Need for Further Reform Part IV. CONCLUSION 11. The Political Determinants of Solidaristic Reform, Notes, Index