Manchester University Press
8 The Nordic welfare model
Abstract
The origins of the Nordic welfare state were traced to the recessionary 1930s and 'historic compromises' between organisations representing the conflicting interests of capital and labour. This chapter examines the origins of the Nordic model and the process of welfare state-building in the region. It presents an ideal-type Nordic welfare model, which incorporates three analytically distinct components. First was the core welfare principles constituting the normative foundations of the model; second was the main features of the practical operation of the welfare state and third was the identification of desired policy outcomes. The chapter concentrates on the performance of the Nordic welfare model and the extent to which desired policy outcomes have been realised. It considers the challenges facing the Nordic welfare model in the years ahead, with particular reference to the exogenous forces of Europeanisation and globalisation and the internal pressures generated by demographic change.
Abstract
The origins of the Nordic welfare state were traced to the recessionary 1930s and 'historic compromises' between organisations representing the conflicting interests of capital and labour. This chapter examines the origins of the Nordic model and the process of welfare state-building in the region. It presents an ideal-type Nordic welfare model, which incorporates three analytically distinct components. First was the core welfare principles constituting the normative foundations of the model; second was the main features of the practical operation of the welfare state and third was the identification of desired policy outcomes. The chapter concentrates on the performance of the Nordic welfare model and the extent to which desired policy outcomes have been realised. It considers the challenges facing the Nordic welfare model in the years ahead, with particular reference to the exogenous forces of Europeanisation and globalisation and the internal pressures generated by demographic change.
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables vii
- Preface ix
- List of abbreviations xi
-
Part I Scandinavia past and present
- 1 The eight quills of the swan 3
- 2 Nation-building and state-building, 1809–1944 25
-
Part II Parties in developmental perspective
- 3 The emergence of the Scandinavian party system(s) 51
- 4 The historic strengths of the five main types of party 72
-
Part III Parties, voters and social change: w(h)ither the Scandinavian party system model?
- 5 The ‘earthquake elections’ of 1970–73 and the emergence of new party types 101
- 6 Party system change since 1970 133
-
Part IV The Nordic model
- 7 A Nordic model of government? 151
- 8 The Nordic welfare model 170
-
Part V Legislative–executive relations in the Nordic region
- 9 The Nordic parliaments 193
- 10 ‘Fairly strong standing committees’ and ‘influential party groups’ – a distinctively Nordic mix? 209
- 11 Nordic government(s) 229
-
Part VI The strategic security environment
- 12 The changing security environment of the Nordic region 259
- 13 ‘Reluctant Nordics’, ‘reluctant Europeans’, but ‘moral superpowers’? 297
- Epilogue 340
- Index 344
Chapters in this book
- Front matter i
- Contents v
- List of tables vii
- Preface ix
- List of abbreviations xi
-
Part I Scandinavia past and present
- 1 The eight quills of the swan 3
- 2 Nation-building and state-building, 1809–1944 25
-
Part II Parties in developmental perspective
- 3 The emergence of the Scandinavian party system(s) 51
- 4 The historic strengths of the five main types of party 72
-
Part III Parties, voters and social change: w(h)ither the Scandinavian party system model?
- 5 The ‘earthquake elections’ of 1970–73 and the emergence of new party types 101
- 6 Party system change since 1970 133
-
Part IV The Nordic model
- 7 A Nordic model of government? 151
- 8 The Nordic welfare model 170
-
Part V Legislative–executive relations in the Nordic region
- 9 The Nordic parliaments 193
- 10 ‘Fairly strong standing committees’ and ‘influential party groups’ – a distinctively Nordic mix? 209
- 11 Nordic government(s) 229
-
Part VI The strategic security environment
- 12 The changing security environment of the Nordic region 259
- 13 ‘Reluctant Nordics’, ‘reluctant Europeans’, but ‘moral superpowers’? 297
- Epilogue 340
- Index 344
