ABSTRACT
Business interests are often considered the dominant force in politics. In any capitalist society, business enjoys structural power due to its control over production and investment on which prosperity depends. For this reason, business interests are often seen as having privileged access to policymakers (cf. Lindblom 1977). Social benefits and workers’ participation rights mean higher labor costs and restrictions on the autonomy of employers. Given the alleged privileged position of employers, how did capitalist societies come to establish such policies and institutions?
