Insights of Comparison

Abstract

This final chapter is headed ‘insights’ deliberately instead of by ‘lessons’ or some other equally definitive sounding word. This is because, although policies may be defined similarly and even, as in this case, consciously used as exemplars, they operate in different political contexts which cannot be transplanted along with the policies themselves. For example, tribunals are specifically British while the Supreme Court is not. Parties seem similar on the face of it, but operate differently. In some ways, therefore, only negative lessons are possible that indicate institutional advantages in one country that do not exist in the other or that it may not be worth expending as much effort in quite the same ways in the two systems. On the other hand, comparisons can reveal how characteristics that seem to be unique to each country may be used for similar ends. For example, on the face of it, the EEC has no equivalent in the United States but, on closer examination, Britain’s relationship to it means that certain tactics which seem peculiarly suited to the American system may be of relevance to British women. Despite the opening proviso, some specific policy insights do exist precisely because of the similarities described in Chapter 1 in the position of women in the two labour markets.