Reflecting on Nordic welfare states: Continuity or social change?

This chapter describes, analyses and presents the Nordic welfare states in the classical understanding, as egalitarian, universalistic countries with large public sectors and high level of taxes and duties, and a long tradition of active labour market policy. It then goes on to reflect on the changes in the light of the recent crisis, focusing particularly on fluctuations in the labour market, health care and social care, as well as the position of migrants and developments in inequality. The analysis shows increasing inequality in the Nordic countries, while the labour market remains strong. However, the focus on and options for migrants have diminished compared with what they used to be. The chapter concludes that the financial crisis has changed the Nordic welfare states, and thereby also the Nordic welfare state model, although whether this would have happened anyway is open to interpretation. Despite the changes, there are still many distinct elements of the Nordic welfare state model, when compared with other European welfare states.