The Nordic Economic, Social and Political Model

Abstract

The Nordic model is the 20th-century Scandinavian recipe for combining stable democracies, individual freedom, economic growth and comprehensive systems for social security. But what happens when Sweden and Finland -two countries topping global indexes for competitiveness, productivity, growth, quality of life, prosperity and equality -start doubting themselves and their future? Is the Nordic model at a crossroads?Historically, consensus, continuity, social cohesion and broad social trust have been hailed as key components for the success and for the self-images of Sweden and Finland. In the contemporary, however, political debates in both countries are increasingly focused on risks, threats and worry. Social disintegration, political polarization, geopolitical anxieties and threat of terrorism are often dominant themes. This book focuses on what appears to be a paradox: countries with low-income differences, high faith in social institutions and relatively high cultural homogeneity becoming fixated on the fear of polarization, disintegration and diminished social trust. Unpacking the presentist discourse of "worry" and a sense of interregnum at the face of geopolitical tensions, digitalization and globalization, as well as challenges to democracy, the chapters take steps back in time and explore the current conjecture through the eyes of historians and social scientists, addressing key aspects of and challenges to both the contemporary and the future Nordic model. In addition, the functioning and efficacy of the participatory democracy and current protocols of decision-making are debated.This work is essential reading for students and scholars of the welfare state, social reforms and populism, as well as Nordic and Scandinavian studies.

Can Powerful Knowledge Save Us? Critical Reflections through the Lens of Political Education

“…We conduct this from a Swedish perspective. Although Sweden is seen as a high performer in democracy and social cohesion, Sweden has increasingly become occupied with highlighted risks, threats and worries in the political debate, especially in issues pertinent to the GAL-TAN scale, such as immigration (Koivunen et al 2021;Oskarson and Demker 2015;Sandahl et al 2022). However, many of the arguments in this article are also relevant to countries with graver political polarization than Sweden.…”

Re-Konstruktionen – Krisenthematisierungen in der Erwachsenenbildung

“…10 Through retroactive explanations of 'Nordic success' by individual 'bildung', the narrative ignores the political essence of the welfare state and the historical emergence of Nordic welfare systems that had been exemplary to the capitalist world (e.g., Katzenstein, 1984Katzenstein, , 1985. However, there is broad evidence that the reasons for Nordic success lie elsewhere than in the tradition of (Danish) folkedification, such as democratic advancement of comprehensive, vocational and higher education or social and economic policies (e.g., Koivunen et al, 2021). The explanation offered by 'Nordic bildung' completely sets aside the massive amount of research in various disciplines which shows education rather as an outcome than an explanatory factor in the emergence and functioning of Nordic welfare states.…”

Participation Income

“…In terms of labour market institutions, the Nordic countries are classified among the so-called coordinated market economy countries, as opposed to the liberal market economy countries (Koivunen et al 2021). This is the model in which production is more coordinated than in the liberal market model: employers and labour unions are both represented in collective bargaining organizations and education provides vocational and skills-based training rather than general education and has guaranteed historically more stable employment careers.…”