Double Standard: Social Policy in Europe and the United States, Third Edition

In Double Standard, James W. Russell shows how and why different models of social and welfare policy developed in the United States and Europe. The third edition comparatively examines how Europe and the United States have handled common social problems such as poverty, inequality, unemployment, family support, health care provision, ethnic and racial conflict, and crime. These different social policy orientations have produced disparate social ways of life, ways of life that are now in contention for the future of Western societies.

Retaining its exceptionally clear exposition of the relationship between social policy and the history of social thought, social theory, and political ideology, the third edition contains new material on:

The Affordable Care Act in the United States compared to European health care programs
The influence of Milton Friedman on the reduction of social spending and privatization of social programs
Paid vacation differences between Europe and the United States
A new Afterword on the continuing social effects of the 2008 recession (the “Great Recession”) in Europe and the United States
A thorough updating of statistical information


The third edition of Double Standard is a thought-provoking and up-to-date exploration of the distinctive differences in social policy in the U.S. and Europe that helps students approach key issues through a new perspective.