Cumulative Differences in Institutional Embeddedness

Abstract

So far, we have examined three dimensions of institutional embeddedness separately: in Chapter 12 integration into the welfare state (pension coverage), in Chapter 13 integration into intermediary institutions (union membership) and in Chapter 14 integration into political citizenship (nationality and electoral participation). However, following T. H. Marshall we have argued that these different dimensions all reflect aspects of a common concept — namely citizenship, understood as a means of assuring a degree of economic security independent of market forces. Whether the welfare state, the union movement or parliamentary democracy, the common denominator of these institutions is to confer rights to individuals and, thus, to limit the degree of inequality generated by the labour market (Crouch, 1999: 423). Yet it has been shown in Chapters 12 to 14 that the degree to which different classes are embedded in these institutions varies substantially. Moreover, disadvantage with respect to institutional embeddedness may be cumulative: individuals not covered by the pension system may also be excluded from political citizenship and lack an efficient union at the workplace. In contrast, it appears possible that missing integration with respect to one dimension of citizenship may be compensated by coverage with another dimension of citizenship.