Compliance with Core Labor Standards

This book aims to evaluate factors that account for violations of labor standards in developing countries. The study directs the focus of analysis on three major explanations for non-compliance: (1) domestic regime type and capacity, (2) economic constraints, and (3) the existence of a regional labor standard and human rights regime. Based on four international relations perspectives (realism, liberalism, rational institutionalism and constructivism), the investigation shows that non-compliance is not a result of lacking regulatory and economic capacity. Labor standards are feared since they might politicize workers and thus endanger political power. A higher degree of regional implementation of labor standards is associated with a higher degree of domestic labor standard compliance.