A trade-off between the employment of older and younger workers? An historical approach to the political framing and reframing of labour market crowding out in the Dutch welfare state

Abstract

Against a background of population ageing, rising welfare state costs, and the potential for intergenerational conflict, there is continued belief in the unsubstantiated idea that older and younger workers crowd each other out in the labour market. Taking a longitudinal approach, we historically describe the framing and reframing of the idea of crowding out in Dutch political discourse between 1977–2017. Using a rich dataset of all political party manifestos for this period, we demonstrate the continued belief in employment as a zero-sum game, highlighting how this idea is politically framed and reframed against a backdrop of political and institutional welfare state development. These findings offer empirical evidence on an under-researched topic, providing insights into political and policymaking processes.