Globalization, Automation, and the Welfare State: Evidence from the OECD and South Korea.

This article examines how subjective economic threats from globalization and technological changes, specifically automation, influence individual preferences for social policies. It finds that increased perceptions of job insecurity lead individuals to favor short-term social consumption policies (such as unemployment benefits and cash transfers) over long-term social investment policies (like education and skill development). Using data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Risks that Matter 2020 survey and a survey experiment in South Korea, the study shows that globalization-induced threats have a stronger effect than automation-induced threats in increasing support for social consumption policies. The findings highlight the potential reshaping of welfare state coalitions amid fiscal austerity and suggest that addressing economic insecurity is crucial for sustaining democratic governance.