ABSTRACT
Since the late 1970s considerable changes have affected the economic, political and social conditions of social partnership action. Growing uncertainties related to an ever-greater intertwined world economy, the end of high growth rates, increased unemployment and the erosion of homogeneous interests have given new fuel to the question as to the decline of corporatism for some time now. Most recently, external incisive changes in social partnership are being underscored along with watchwords such as neoliberalism and globalization. Together with internal undermining tendencies of the system such as a new coalition government without social democrats, a calling into question the existence of chambers and the declining degree of the organization of labour unions, the question arises as to what survival potential and what future social partnership will have.
