Less Religion, Better Society? On Religion, Secularity, and Prosperity in Scandinavia

Lejon, Kjell O.; Agnafors, Marcus

doi:10.1111/j.1540-6385.2011.00619.x

Cited by 2 publications

(2 citation statements)

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“…Despite their high membership levels in the Evangelical Lutheran State Churches, the Nordic countries are seen as highly secularized. In the literature, their nationalised religion is seen as an element that consolidates society and contributes to its economic development: "It is definitely more of about belonging to than believing" (Lejon & Agnafors, 2011). It has also been pointed out that 'secularized Lutheranism' as a dominant feature of Nordic society directly contributes to "impressively high levels of societal health, social well-being, and an admirable moral social order" (Zuckermann, 2008, 20).…”

Section: Building Social Innovation On Belongingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovative Public Governance. The Finnish Welfare State Model

Kohtamäki¹

2022

SER

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Background: The rationality of developing citizen-friendly solutions is demonstrated by the state helping citizens, Finland has own pattern of public governance based inter alia on the ideals of New Public Management. As a peripheral country quite remote from the largest European centres of power such as Germany or France, it represents unique way of innovation in the welfare state model. Research objectives:The paper discusses the specifics of Finnish solutions in the field of public management. The present analysis was carried out based on the dependence of those solutions on cultural conditions.Research design and methods: The choice of Finland is justified by its leading position in various world rankings regarding its commitment to traditional regional values related to open public administration, the transparency of its operations, and public participation in governance processes, the social welfare state. The study uses secondary sources and applies systematic analysis. Results: Finland is seen as a latecomer in developing a welfare state, in part because of its rural and agrarian social structure. This process was strengthened by Finland's special position between East and West during the Cold War. Conclusions: Finnish administrative culture stems directly from the innovative forms of public management developed among the Nordic countries. Finland is a model example of a country exhibiting rational, knowledge-driven progress and maintaining simplicity in developing citizen-friendly solutions.

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Section: Building Social Innovation On Belongingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innovative Public Governance. The Finnish Welfare State Model

Kohtamäki¹

2022

SER

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“…Prosperity of a country transfers into better life standards as compared to poor states and is one of the main causes for reverting to religion (Zuckerman, 2008). Thus, in this perspective religious attitudes are inseparable from economic conditions (Lejon & Agnafors, 2011). Moreover, those whose lives tend to be on a precipice, subject to natural disasters are much more likely to believe in God than those who are not under the same pressures.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

The Impact of Religiosity on Individual Perception of Wellbeing and Living Standards: A Cross-cultural Study on Selected Developing Economies

Bilan

Simionescu

Vojtovič

et al. 2019

JPSS

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This study considers the impact of religion on perceptions of happiness and quality of life, and is especially focused on the adjunct effects of religion on the standard of living in the economically developing countries of Turkey, Ukraine, Senegal, and Morocco. The data have been collected using a survey carried out in 2012, and the empirical analysis was based on non-parametric tests and multinomial logistic regression. The results indicate that there are differences between devout followers of religion and atheists regarding gender, marital status, and perceptions of personal financial realities. Demographically, females, irrespective of whether they are married or single, tend to be more religious, and religious adherents, irrespective of gender, are such largely for the acquisitive aim of achieving improvements in standard of living or contentment with the standard of living which they have. When compared to atheists it was found that the latter was more affluent and thus stressed a more secular approach to life that emphasizes a sense of perennial discontent with social status and even a more acquisitive aim of procuring more money and status. Based on a mixed-effects generalized linear model that considers differences between countries as random effects, it may be concluded that negative perceptions regarding standard of living cause religiosity, but also allows for more satisfaction in daily life. Taking into account the countries that were selected for this study, it can be said that the results are truly cross-cultural in nature. Moreover, most of the conclusions that were reached are, to some extent, relevant to other developing economies of Eastern Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East.

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Less Religion, Better Society? On Religion, Secularity, and Prosperity in Scandinavia

Cited by 2 publications

References 1 publication

Innovative Public Governance. The Finnish Welfare State Model

Innovative Public Governance. The Finnish Welfare State Model

The Impact of Religiosity on Individual Perception of Wellbeing and Living Standards: A Cross-cultural Study on Selected Developing Economies

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