Abstract
In my article I discuss the changing nature of social inequality in the Nordic countries. All Nordic societies are richer than ever. However the distribution of wealth is becoming more and more uneven. In spite of a lot of talk and many policy programmes against poverty, poverty seems to increase. Everywhere in Europe the inheritance of inequalities is increasing too. In the following I shall argue that there are several economic, political and social processes that cause these changes. Neo-liberal economic policy has meant that market-based activities and market competition are replacing public services in many countries. The position of vulnerable social groups is at stake. Social polarization is shaping the continent. In European societies there are parallel processes of a growing middle class and growing social exclusion.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
References
Ahrne, G. (2010). Arbetarklassen lever vidare, (Working class is still alive. in Swedish). Clarte 4/2010, pp. 26–29.
Allardt, E. (1975). Att Ha – Att Älska – Att Vara, (Having, loving, being in Swedish). Lund: Argos.
Blom, R., Kivinen, M., Melin, H., & Rantalaiho, L. (1992). The scope logic approach to class analysis. Aldershot: Avebury.
Blom, R., Kankainen, T., & Melin, H. (2012). Jakautunut Suomi (Divided Finland, in Finnish). Yhteiskuntatieteellisen tietoarkiston julkaisuja 10/2012, Tampere.
Bonoli, G., Vic, G., & Taylor-Goody, P. (2000). European welfare futures. Towards a theory of retrenchment. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Braverman, H. (1974). Labor and monopoly capital. The degradation of work in the twentieth century. New York: Monthly Review Press.
Erikson, R., Hansen, E. J., Stein, R., & Uusitalo, H. (Eds.). (1987). The Scandinavian model. Welfare states and welfare research. New York: M. E. Sharpe.
Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). The three worlds of welfare capitalism. Cambridge/Princeton: Polity Press/Princeton University Press.
EVA. (2013). Kadonneen kasvun metsästäjät, (The hunters of lost growth, in Finnish). Helsinki: Elinkeinoelämän valtuuskunta.
Goldthorpe, J., Lockwood, D., Bechhofer, R., & Platt, J. (1969). The affluent worker and the class structure. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Hiilamo, H. (2010). Tuloerot repesivät, kärsivätkö kansalaiset? (Income differences have grown – do citizens suffer? in Finnish). In H. Taimio (Ed.), Hyvinvointivaltion suunta – nousu vai lasku? (pp. 72–89). Helsinki: TSL.
Hull, K. P. (2009). The co-evolution of experimentalist business systems and enabling welfare states. In K. P. Hull & K. Lilja (Eds.), New models of globalizing (pp. 7–53). Helsinki: HSE.
Julkunen, R. (2001). Suunnanmuutos. (Change the direction. Social policy reforms in Finland in the 1990s, in Finnish). Tampere: Vastapaino.
Konttinen, A. (Ed.). (2009). Civic mind and good citizenship. Tampere: Tampere University Press.
Leiulfsrud, H. (2004). Where have all the classes gone? In R. Blom & J. Nikula (Eds.), Plussat ja miinukset (pp. 12–24). Tampere: Lumikki Kustannus.
Leiulfsrud, H., Bison, I., & Solheim, E. (2010). Social class in Europe II. The European social survey 2002–2008. Trondheim: NTNU.
Melin, H. (2010). Tarvitaanko vielä luokkatutkimusta? (Do we need class analysis? in Finnish). In Teoksessa Erola Jani (Ed.), Luokaton Suomi (pp. 211–230). Helsinki: Gaudeamus.
Platt, L. (2011). Understanding inequalities. Stratification & difference. Cambridge: Polity.
Raunio, T., & Saari, J. (Eds.). (2013). Euroopan paras maa? Suomen muuttuva asema Euroopan unionissa? (The best country in Europe? in Finnish). Helsinki: TSL.
Rawls, J. (1971). Theory of justice. Cambridge Mass: Harvard University Press.
Reich, R. B. (2007). Supercapitalism. The transformation of business, democracy and everyday life. New York: Knopf.
Saari, J. (2010). Hyvinvointivaltion uudistuminen ja sosiaalipolitiikan taustaoletukset, (The future of the welfare state – growth of decline? in Finnish). In T. Heikki (Ed.), Hyvinvointivaltion suunta – nousu vai lasku? (pp. 40–55). Helsinki: TSL.
Standing, G. (2011). The precariat. The new dangerous class. London: Bloomsbury.
Stiglitz, J. (2012). The price of inequality. London: Allen Lane.
Therborn, G. (2012). Class in the 21st century. New Left Review, 78, 5–29.
Wilkinson, R., & Pickett, K. (2009). The spirit level. Why equality is better for everyone. London: Allen Lane.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2014 Springer International Publishing Switzerland
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Melin, H. (2014). The Nordic Model and Social Inequalities. In: Eißel, D., Rokicka, E., Leaman, J. (eds) Welfare State at Risk. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01481-4_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-01481-4_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-01480-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-01481-4
eBook Packages: Business and EconomicsEconomics and Finance (R0)