Social Democratic Internationalism and the Welfare State After the ‘Golden Age’

Abstract

The 'Nordic model' is often seen to exist in political economy, where, according to many commentators, the main components of the model have been the universal welfare state, centralized wage-bargaining structures and high level of taxation. However, the argument in this article is that the 'Nordic model' should be seen as a broader concept, ranging from social and economic policy to foreign and security policy. In addition, the central claim here is that the socio-political history of that model is crucially important in providing understanding of the linkages in ideational inspiration across these different policy sectors. The 'Nordic normative legacy' and the experience of nation-and state-building and construction of national identity were important in the construction of the welfare state. However, the 'Nordic model' was traditionally based on a form of 'welfare state nationalism' that is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain in the 'global age'. The main problem comes from confronting the challenges of multiculturalism. It is one of the central arguments here that the decline of Nordic internationalism and the 'crisis' of the welfare state are inherently linked. The 'Nordic model' is not well equipped to deal with the blurring of the boundaries between internal and external -domestic and foreign. However, as Nordicity and its social foundations are still largely intact, the task now is to rejuvenate the 'Nordic model' and move away from welfare state nationalism towards a more inclusive concept of welfare state internationalism.

Varieties of corporate social responsibility (CSR): CSR meets the “Nordic Model”

“…This could induce skepticism toward CSR in Nordic trade unions, thereby affecting the policy process because the unions exert substantial influence on Nordic policy formation through the tripartite system. Third, the strong focus on “the business case for CSR” in mainstream CSR discourse could appear illegitimate in the context of the “Nordic normative legacy” (Kuisma 2007); Nordic governments all maintain a high international profile on issues such as sustainable development, poverty reduction, environmental protection, and human rights. These issues are all central to the framing of CSR, and Nordic public policy rhetoric in these areas tends to emphasize humanitarianism, environmentalism, and internationalism as goals in and of themselves (Lafferty & Meadowcroft 2000; Ingebritsen 2002; Bátora 2006; Kuisma 2007).…”

Measuring the immeasurable?

“…In their written answers the companies also emphasize that environmental awareness, transparency, equality and a consensus-seeking mindset, facilitate stakeholder dialogue and integration of CSR issues into business operations. 74 Dahl 1984;Kuisma 2007. to CSR, with 77 percent of respondents answering this question positively. Several respondents explain in their written comments that tripartite negotiations and dialogue with employees-induced by the corporatist system-have fostered skills that are highly relevant to their CSR activities, for instance stakeholder dialogue and integration of social concerns into business operations.…”

Analyzing ideological complexes from the perspective of modalities

“…There seems to be "a perfect fit between the system of classification and the objects which that system describes: a relation which seems at once transparent, natural, and inevitable" (Hodge and Kress 1988: 122). In terms of social practices, Excerpt (3) speaks to previous research in terms of how entangled discourses on the Nordic model and equality are seen as exceptional, are central in nation-building, and work ideologically (Trägårdh 2002;Kuisma 2007).…”