Revision and Retreat: Canadian Unemployment Insurance 1971-1981

Modern political analysis of social security programs has tended recently to emphasize two explanatory models. The first is a model of social control, which explains major social security measures as responses either to vocal working class demands or to the potential political instability created by tough economic circumstances (typically recessions or depressions). The labour management model on the other hand argues that the state implements certain programs in order to assist the accumulation process. Thus worker's compensation, education, and even health insurance do for the accumulation process what it cannot do for itself: they maintain a relatively efficient labour force and labour market. This model may be easily extended to encompass standards legislation, training programs, urban transport, and so on.