Characteristics and Challenges of the Nordic Welfare State
SAMPOL 120 Nordic Politics Home exam
Candidate number: 216432
Date: 5/11/2012
Number of words: 3134
Title of the assignment: Characteristics and challenges of the Nordic Welfare State
;: Introduction
In this essay I will first, try to discriminate some of characteristics as well as historical preconditions that combine to make the Nordic welfare model a topic of extensive literature defining it as a special case. Mainly, I will focus my analyses in three broad aspects shared by them: universalism, gender equality and consensus on political decision. It is important highlight that I will adopt two different terms to group these countries. By Scandinavian countries I mean Norway, Sweden and Denmark while the wider concept of „Nordic nations‟ includes all five countries Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. In a second moment, I will show how new external and internal pressures threatened the welfare state model and deviated the Nordic countries from their common path. As result, a convergence between them with other OECD countries occurred. However, changes were not significant enough to drive the model to an end, as it recovered in the late 1990s and regained some of its faded confidence.
The Nordic model Common definitions for the Nordic welfare state emphasize the extensive role of the state in redistributing resources, through both cash benefits and services. Broadly speaking, the Nordic welfare state seeks to equalize life chances, provide social justice and social security, and promote cohesion and stability, all within the framework of the market. (Alestato et al 2010; Kautto 2010) In contrast with the liberal regime model - adopted by countries such as the United States, Britain and Canada - the Nordic countries‟ redistribution of resources relies on universalistic
policies instead of means-test policies or targeted groups aimed at poverty alleviation. (EspingAndersen 1990) 1. Universalism By universalism one can understand
Candidate number: 216432
Date: 5/11/2012
Number of words: 3134
Title of the assignment: Characteristics and challenges of the Nordic Welfare State
;: Introduction
In this essay I will first, try to discriminate some of characteristics as well as historical preconditions that combine to make the Nordic welfare model a topic of extensive literature defining it as a special case. Mainly, I will focus my analyses in three broad aspects shared by them: universalism, gender equality and consensus on political decision. It is important highlight that I will adopt two different terms to group these countries. By Scandinavian countries I mean Norway, Sweden and Denmark while the wider concept of „Nordic nations‟ includes all five countries Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland. In a second moment, I will show how new external and internal pressures threatened the welfare state model and deviated the Nordic countries from their common path. As result, a convergence between them with other OECD countries occurred. However, changes were not significant enough to drive the model to an end, as it recovered in the late 1990s and regained some of its faded confidence.
The Nordic model Common definitions for the Nordic welfare state emphasize the extensive role of the state in redistributing resources, through both cash benefits and services. Broadly speaking, the Nordic welfare state seeks to equalize life chances, provide social justice and social security, and promote cohesion and stability, all within the framework of the market. (Alestato et al 2010; Kautto 2010) In contrast with the liberal regime model - adopted by countries such as the United States, Britain and Canada - the Nordic countries‟ redistribution of resources relies on universalistic
policies instead of means-test policies or targeted groups aimed at poverty alleviation. (EspingAndersen 1990) 1. Universalism By universalism one can understand
Bibliography: Alestalo, M., Hort, S.E.O. and Kuhnle, S. (2010) The Nordic Model: Conditions, origins, outcomes, lessons, Hertie School of Governance: Working Papers, No. 41. Heidar, Knut. (2004) „Parties and party systems‟, in K. Heidar (ed.) Nordic Politics, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, p. 40-60. Heidar, Knut. (2004) „State and nation building in the nordic area‟, in K. Heidar (ed.) Nordic Politics, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, p. 9-24. Kautto, M. (2010) „The Nordic Countries‟, in F. Castles et al (eds) The Oxford Handbook of the Welfare State, Oxford: OUP, p. 586-600. Kautto, M. et al (eds) (1999) Nordic Social Policy, London: Routledge. Kildal, N. & Kuhnle, S. (2005) „The Nordic welfare model and the idea of universalism‟, in N. Kildal and S. Kuhnle (eds) Normative Foundations of the Welfare State: The Nordic Experience, London: Routledge, p. 13-33. Kuhnle, S. (2001), Reform and consolidation of the Scandinavian welfare states, speech. Nordby, T. (2004) „Patterns of Coroporatist Intermediation‟, in K. Heidar (ed.) Nordic Politics, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, p. 98-108. Nygård, M. (2006) „Welfare ideological change in Scandinavia: A comparative analysis of partisan welfare state positions in four Nordic countries, 1970-2003‟, Scandinavian Political Studies, Vol. 29, no. 4, p. 356-385. Peltomäki, P. and Laubeova, L (2002) Gender and political equality in the Nordic countries, ERASMUS: Working paper. Raaum, N. (2004) „The presence of women in parliamentary politics‟, in K. Heidar (ed.) Nordic Politics, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, p. 142-164. Rasch, Bjorn Erick (2004) „Parliamentary Government‟, in K. Heidar (ed.) Nordic Politics, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, Steen, Anton (2004) „The welfare state - still viable?‟, in K. Heidar (ed.) Nordic Politics, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, p. 207-227.