Origins of Family Policy: Prerequisites or Diffusion

Abstract

Various instruments to protect families with children from the consequences of industrialization have been introduced in modernizing nation-states at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century. The global adoption of family policies, such as maternity leave, family allowances, and childcare facilities, followed a wide array of patterns. After being introduced by pioneering countries, some programs spread rapidly throughout Europe, some reached the peripheries of colonial empires and others were only introduced by the newly established nation-states populating world society after decolonization. We provide the first analysis of the disparate origins and spread of family policies, identifying the networks that facilitate their diffusion.

War and the adoption of family allowances

“…However, and in line with our theoretical argument, there is ample empirical evidence that the Great War was already an important turning point for state intervention in other family policies, such as child and youth welfare, maternal leave, and child care (e.g. Montanari 2000;Böger et al 2022;Son 2023). Moreover, cash benefits were paid to the families of conscripted soldiers to compensate for the loss of income caused by war service.…”

Levels of policy drivers: Introducing and demonstrating an analytical framework for education policy spread

“…An edited volume by Windzio et al (2021) shows that different networks and external influences are relevant to the diffusion process of particular social policies. While compulsory education travels according to cultural similarity and geographical proximity, the diffusion of workplace childcare policies is shaped by colonial ties (Böger et al, 2021; Seitzer et al, 2021).…”