Nordic welfare can cope with globalisation

02-06-2006

Nordic welfare can cope with globalisation

Joakim Palme
Foto: Unn Christensen

The welfare society has developed in different directions in the Nordic countries during recent years. Nevertheless, there is more that unites them than separates them in relation to the rest of the western world. This is the conclusion drawn by Joakim Palme, Director of the Swedish Institute for Futures Studies, at a seminar on the Nordic welfare research programme in Oslo.

Back in 2000 Joakim Palme was commissioned by the Nordic Council of Ministers to study the welfare society, and published the report ‘The Nordic Model and the Modernisation of the Social Protection’. In 2005, with Olli Kangas, he published the book ‘Social Policy and Economic Development in the Nordic Countries’, in which the Nordic model was analysed again.

Then in 2006 Joakim Palme wrote the concluding chapter for the final report on the new welfare research programme which has been funded by the Nordic Council of Ministers from 2001-2006. In this he touches on the subject that globalisation is normally considered a threat to the Nordic social model:

"It is unclear why it would be impossible to manage the welfare state project on its own in nations with open economies. On the contrary, the old school of thought was that it was precisely open economies which developed the most advanced welfare states. In practice, as an alternative to the social protection of tariff walls and import restrictions, it offered employment in the home market in other types of economies".

Generally Joakim Palme is satisfied with the new round of research into welfare societies. He has become particularly aware of gender aspects, such as the fact that fathers’ attitude to having children may have a significance which has been overlooked. Couples who live in a kind of ‘equality-light’ relationship seem to be more minded towards having children. Interview surveys suggest that improved equality is not self-evident. The data is too limited for long-term conclusions, but Joakim Palme is absorbed by new studies on men’s attitude to parenthood and taking paternal leave.

However, he feels further studies of the relationship between immigration and welfare are needed. It is also necessary to look at the relationship between educational systems and the Nordic welfare society. There can be a risk involved in women having to attain both a good education and a good home. In the meantime the biological clocks are ticking and for some it may be too late to have children. Figures from studies indicate that Nordic women catch up with women from other European countries to a certain extent, even though Nordic women give birth later. However, for some, if giving birth is delayed too long it becomes too late to choose to have children.

The Nordic welfare societies may seem the same when seen from the outside, but they differ from each other in a number of ways. When asked which of the Nordic countries has the best welfare society, Joakim Palme smiles and with a twinkle in his eye replies "Sweden". But the researcher wins over the patriot when he goes into more depth and talks about the differences between the countries. Finland, for example, comes out well in international studies of the educational system and pupils’ skills. On the other hand unemployment is considerably higher there than in, for example, Denmark, which appears to have success with the so-called ‘flexicurity’ model.

The interesting point is that it is possible for both researchers and politicians to draw comparisons between the Nordic countries. This can provide inspiration for politicians to observe, for example, whether the more flexible labour market in Denmark benefits employment or merely creates insecurity. Elderly care is also an area in which there are major differences between the Nordic countries. In recent years the different strategies for elderly care have provided interesting opportunities to learn from each other’s experiences.

Joakim Palme emphasises that since politicians are willing to learn from successful economic policies or advanced technologies, there is no reason why they should not also learn from social policies which, seen in a European light, appear efficacious. The 1990s were stamped by crisis in many of the Nordic countries. The economic indicators are more favourable in the new millennium. Unemployment continues to be high in some parts of the Nordic region - and in general is highest for many groups of immigrants. The population is ageing so there will be fewer in the labour market. There are still plenty of challenges.

Joakim Palme concludes:

"Welfare research has great potential to guide the modernisation of social policies in the Nordic countries as well as in Europe and the world around us. In order to make best use of it we need to do further work in defining this concept of welfare".


By Torkil Sørensen