Social Policy in Capitalist History

Perspectives on Poverty, Work and Society

Ayşe Buğra, Emeritus Professor of Political Economy, Bogazici University, Turkey

This invigorating book approaches social policy as a response to socioeconomic tensions and conflicts brought about by capitalist development, exploring how such policy reflects and shapes the world of work and socioeconomic life. Ayşe Buğra presents a historical overview of the ideas and politics of social policy in a discussion framed around the interrelated questions of poverty, work and inequality.

‘In a masterful historical sweep, Ayse Bugra presents a political-economic theory of social policy, its doctrine and practice in the critical intersection between capitalism and society, retracing its development from the early modern period to today’s end of globalization as we know it.’
Wolfgang Streeck, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies, Cologne, Germany

‘This insightful book serves as a timely reminder of the profound influence of ideas in shaping the evolution of social policy, especially in an era marked by a dearth of reasoned alternatives to the prevailing global order that is marred by inequality and insecurity. This book offers a unique perspective on the inherently political nature of social policy debates, anchoring them within the historical context of capitalism, including the post-Second World War transformations in peripheral economies.’
– Volkan Yilmaz, Ulster University, Northern Ireland, UK

‘Most social theorists and economists would agree that government programs to help the poor, the sick, the unemployed, and the old are part and parcel of a capitalist economy. Any workable form of capitalism requires society to be sheltered from the extreme risks it would otherwise be exposed to from unregulated markets. But as Ayşe Buğra’s fascinating book shows, the specific form that social policy should take under capitalism is unclear and has long been contested. Buğra provides a thorough and incisive account of the intellectual history of social policy, from the 16th century to our post-pandemic economy.’
– Dani Rodrik, Harvard University, US