Empowering Labor uses a comparative study of Chile, Portugal, and Uruguay to analyze the underlying political dynamics that shape the use of wage policy as a pre-distributive instrument of leftist parties in power in unequal democracies. The book theorizes that the unity of the Left and labor's political legitimacy are two main drivers for relating on wage policy as a pre-distributive instrument for promoting inclusion. These factors are shaped by elite long-term strategies towards labor. Such strategies, when dominant for long-enough periods, create path dependency, shaping differential opportunities for further options down the road. The book integrates large-scale historical processes with frequently analyzed short-term and agency-based factors to elucidate variation in the crafting of wage policies and reshapes the debate on the politics of pre-distribution in unequal democracies by situating the cases in a longer historical arc.

‘Empowering Labor will be required reading for comparative students of political economy and democratic inclusion. Bogliaccini's innovative analysis of wage-oriented political strategies offers fascinating insights for those hoping to promote egalitarian outcomes and mend democracy's laments. The book's comparative design derives telling conclusions from its cross-regional empirical focus on three crucial cases.’

Robert M. Fishman - Author of Democratic Practice: Origins of the Iberian Divide in Political Inclusion

‘Through an excellent account of pre-tax redistributive policy paths available to governments, Bogliaccini's Empowering Labor convincingly shows how wage bargaining as a distributive instrument can empower labor to become an agent of positive change in society. It is a must read for anybody interested in the role of labor in broader questions of redistribution and democratic representation.’

Gustavo A. Flores-Macías - Professor of Government and Public Policy, Cornell University

‘In this well-researched and carefully argued study, Juan Bogliaccini offers an innovative and historically grounded account of why countries vary in their approach to wage policy. The book advances our theoretical understanding of the political economy of inequality, by focusing attention on pre-distribution and by adopting a cross-regional comparison that identifies key similarities between Southern Europe and the southern cone of Latin America. In emphasizing the importance of pre-distributive instruments for the political empowerment of marginalized groups, Bogliaccini sheds new light on theoretical debates about left parties, the power of labor, and models of capitalism.’

Jennifer Pribble - Professor of Political Science and Global Studies, University of Richmond

‘This is a terrific book. In his thoroughgoing effort to understand the underpinnings and viability of pre-distributive strategies in peripheral Europe and Latin America, Juan Bogliaccini makes invaluable contributions to the literatures on inequality, labor, and late development - and demonstrates the value of work that transcends region, discipline, and theoretical perspective.’

Andrew Schrank - Olive C. Watson Professor of Sociology and International and Public Affairs, Brown University