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What happened to the Scandinavian, social-democratic welfare model?

Thu, June 30, 3:30 to 5:00pm, Ersta Skondal Conference Center, Cederschioldssalen

Session Submission Type: Panel

Abstract

Many scholars still assume that Esping-Andersen’s social-democratic regime, with decommodifying social rights as an essential feature, still is characteristic for the Scandinavian countries (1990). However, quasi-markets, vouchers and user choice are rapidly gaining ground. Market mechanisms are used in new ways to create progress in the welfare state. Surprisingly, this does not mean that the core welfare goals have been replaced. The Scandinavian countries still subscribe to many of the deep-rooted ideals, such as public funding and regulation of core welfare services, decentralization of governance, equal access for all to high quality services, and adaptation of services to the user’s needs and preferences. However, there is a willingness to innovate in order to better reach these goals and consequently large differences between the Scandinavian countries and between the service areas are evolving rapidly. In particular the voucher system and competition between public and private for-profit schools in Sweden have attracted a lot of attention internationally. However, there are large differences in welfare mix and regulation between service areas and countries. In effect, the Scandinavian countries have emerged as a laboratory of different welfare reform experiments. It is a testing ground for solving similar problems that other countries will encounter. The panel draws conclusions based on systematic and integrated research conducted by local experts in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. The researchers are therefore uniquely positioned to conduct comparative analysis between countries, primary schools and nursing homes, and between public, for-profit, and nonprofit providers. This results in an updated presentation of changes and diversification that is going on in Scandinavia with a special focus on consequences for the third sectors role in the welfare field.

The first paper analyses changes in shares of welfare service employment between the for-profit, nonprofit and public sectors on a national level in the three countries. The second presents the national legal and institutional framework within which local welfare services are provided: the relevant EU directives and their implementation, national policy instruments, and national politics. The remaining two papers analyze data from comparative case studies at the municipal level – where these policies are implemented. The third paper analyses municipal governance of nursing homes in comparison between the three Scandinavian countries and between in-house, public sector service providers and private service providers (nonprofit or for-profit) in the same municipalities. The fourth paper compares nursing homes with schools with regard to active citizenship. Where do we find the most important differences; between the countries, providers from different sectors, or between the service areas? What are the causes for these differences?

These new insights are relevant for other countries in the process of reforming how welfare services are provided while promoting active citizenship. They also have relevance for research on quasi-markets and consequences for the welfare role of the third sector and for the room for active citizenship.

Esping-Andersen, G. (1990). Three worlds of welfare capitalism. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

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