4 Nordic welfare states: up to challenge?
-
Minna van Gerven
Abstract
This chapter analyses the extent to which the contemporary Nordic model is up to the challenge in the current economic and demographic landscape. The chapter first theorises the Nordic welfare states by discussing the four ingredients of the Nordic model: 1) universal welfare state provision, 2) extensive public services, 3) high labour market participation, and 4) gender equality in politics and practices. These dimensions are then empirically investigated by analysing the key welfare state indicators for the last 10 years (2010-2020) in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland. The analysis confirms the specificity of Nordic welfare states when compared to the EU27 or OECD averages. In general, the Nordic countries continue to entail generous systems of welfare provision and public services and fuel high labour market participation and gender equality. Yet, there are cracks in the contemporary Nordic model that suggest that universalism may not always be compatible with changing world. The future of the Nordic model seems to be up to the challenge, but it needs to fit with new social and economic conditions and to mitigate income and social inequalities, to continue to be effective also in the coming decades
Abstract
This chapter analyses the extent to which the contemporary Nordic model is up to the challenge in the current economic and demographic landscape. The chapter first theorises the Nordic welfare states by discussing the four ingredients of the Nordic model: 1) universal welfare state provision, 2) extensive public services, 3) high labour market participation, and 4) gender equality in politics and practices. These dimensions are then empirically investigated by analysing the key welfare state indicators for the last 10 years (2010-2020) in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Iceland. The analysis confirms the specificity of Nordic welfare states when compared to the EU27 or OECD averages. In general, the Nordic countries continue to entail generous systems of welfare provision and public services and fuel high labour market participation and gender equality. Yet, there are cracks in the contemporary Nordic model that suggest that universalism may not always be compatible with changing world. The future of the Nordic model seems to be up to the challenge, but it needs to fit with new social and economic conditions and to mitigate income and social inequalities, to continue to be effective also in the coming decades
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
-
Part I Research methods
- 1 Contemporary welfare states and their challenges 3
- 2 Four families of theories to understand welfare state change 13
- 3 Evidence-Based Policy-Making 29
-
Part II Welfare regimes
- 4 Nordic welfare states: up to challenge? 47
- 5 Continental European welfare states 65
- 6 Liberal welfare states 85
- 7 The Southern European welfare model 101
- 8 Eastern European welfare states 119
- 9 In search of a suitable path for welfare system development in China 135
- 10 East Asia: welfare determinants and issues in the post-developmentalism era 151
-
Part III Issues and challenges
- 11 Health policy in a comparative perspective 173
- 12 COVID-19 and the welfare state: impacts, mechanisms, and responses 187
- 13 Through the COVID-19 pandemic: perspectives for the welfare state 213
- 14 Long-Term Care in ageing societies 233
- 15 Pension 255
- 16 The legitimacy of the welfare state in the age of migration 271
- 17 Education and the welfare state: worlds of early school leaving in Europe 285
- 18 Economic inequality – a growing issue? 309
- 19 Poverty in the five welfare regimes of Europe 321
- 20 Employment and unemployment 343
- 21 Sustainability 359
- 22 Populism 375
- 23 Behavioural public policy 389
- 24 North–South divide and global social policy 403
- 25 Incentives-disincentives – the benefit side of the welfare states 417
-
Part IV Future research needs
- 26 The future of welfare states? 433
- Contributors to this volume 439
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
-
Part I Research methods
- 1 Contemporary welfare states and their challenges 3
- 2 Four families of theories to understand welfare state change 13
- 3 Evidence-Based Policy-Making 29
-
Part II Welfare regimes
- 4 Nordic welfare states: up to challenge? 47
- 5 Continental European welfare states 65
- 6 Liberal welfare states 85
- 7 The Southern European welfare model 101
- 8 Eastern European welfare states 119
- 9 In search of a suitable path for welfare system development in China 135
- 10 East Asia: welfare determinants and issues in the post-developmentalism era 151
-
Part III Issues and challenges
- 11 Health policy in a comparative perspective 173
- 12 COVID-19 and the welfare state: impacts, mechanisms, and responses 187
- 13 Through the COVID-19 pandemic: perspectives for the welfare state 213
- 14 Long-Term Care in ageing societies 233
- 15 Pension 255
- 16 The legitimacy of the welfare state in the age of migration 271
- 17 Education and the welfare state: worlds of early school leaving in Europe 285
- 18 Economic inequality – a growing issue? 309
- 19 Poverty in the five welfare regimes of Europe 321
- 20 Employment and unemployment 343
- 21 Sustainability 359
- 22 Populism 375
- 23 Behavioural public policy 389
- 24 North–South divide and global social policy 403
- 25 Incentives-disincentives – the benefit side of the welfare states 417
-
Part IV Future research needs
- 26 The future of welfare states? 433
- Contributors to this volume 439
