Gradualist Keynesianism or desired liberalisation? Analysis of strategic documents of the state, and the contradictions of neo-corporatism in Slovenia (1991–2008)

Hočevar, Marko (author)

The article contributes to discussions on the nature, extent and depth of neo-corporatist political arrangements in Slovenia before the 2008 crisis by analysing the interests held by the respective dominant social bloc(s) as they emerged in the early 1990s and are most clearly expressed in strategic documents of the state. Our analysis shows that beneath the neo-corporatist structure and certain neo-Keynesian policies as the outcome of the social partnership, a strong technocratic, political and capitalist orientation to introduce greater liberalisation in the areas of employment and social policy was already present long before 2004, a year usually seen as when the neo-corporatist consensus started to crumble after a new rightwing government came to power and Slovenia joined the EU and NATO.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Slovenia, neocorporatism, state strategies, capitalism, social bloc, economy, labor market, economic policy
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FDV - Faculty of Social Sciences
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 09.01.2026
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 835-854
• Numbering: Letn. 62, št. 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177931
• UDC: 330.1(497.4)
• ISSN on article: 0040-3598
• DOI: 10.51936/tip.62.4.835
• COBISS.SI-ID: 264571651
• Publication date in RUL: 13.01.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Teorija in praksa : revija za družbena vprašanja
• Shortened title: Teor. praksa
• Publisher: Fakulteta za družbene vede
• ISSN: 0040-3598
• COBISS.SI-ID: 763652

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Gradualistični keynesijanizem ali želena liberalizacija? Analiza strateških dokumentov države in protislovja neokorporativizma v Sloveniji (1991–2008)

Abstract

Članek prispeva k razpravam o naravi, obsegu in globini neokorporativističnih političnih dogovorov v Sloveniji pred krizo leta 2008 prek analize interesov posameznih prevladujočih družbenih blokov, kot so se pojavili v začetku devetdesetih let prejšnjega stoletja; njihovi interesi so bili najbolj jasno izraženi v strateških dokumentih države. Analiza kaže, da je bila pod neokorporativistično strukturo in nekaterimi neokeynesijanskimi politikami, ki so bile rezultat socialnega partnerstva, že dolgo pred letom 2004, ko naj bi se neokorporativistični konsenz začel krhati po nastopu nove desne vlade in vstopu Slovenije v EU in NATO, navzoča močna tehnokratska, politična in kapitalska usmeritev k uvedbi večje liberalizacije na področju politik zaposlovanja in socialnih politik.

• Keywords: Slovenija, neokorporativizem, državne strategije, kapitalizem, družbeni blok, ekonomija, trg dela, ekonomska politika

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: J5-60088
• Name: Prepletenost med EU in državami članicami v procesih oblikovanja javnih politik na področju politik zaposlovanja