Chapter 5 Scandinavia

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Chapter 5Scandinavia

• Eric S. Einhorn and John Logue

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Scandinavia

• Why Study Scandinavian Politics?
• The past as prologue
• Political Institutions
• Political Actors and Policymaking
• The Scandinavian Model
• Current Challenges

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Why study Scandinavian politics?

• Scandinavia as a social laboratory for the
  Western world (Galenson, 1949)
  
• Scandinavian model consensual and
  solidaristic capitalism
  
• Recent challenges to the Scandinavian model
• Rise in female participation in labour market
• Competing in a global economy
• Cope with rising life expectancy
• Balance fiscal rectitude with continued welfarism

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The past as prologue

• Scandinavia today
• Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden
• Åland Islands in Finland, Faeroe Islands and
  Greenland in Denmark
  
• Union of Kalmar (13971523)
• Eventually split into Denmark-Norway-Iceland and
  Sweden-Finland
  
• 1808 Russia captures Finland
• 1814 Norway transfers to Sweden
• First quarter of the 20th Century
• each country gained independence (Iceland
  autonomy, independence in 1944)
  
• created a parliamentary system based on universal
  suffrage

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Political institutions

• All (except Finland) pure parliamentary systems
• Finland also has president
• Proportional representation
• Multiparty systems
• Coalition and/or minority governments

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Political actors and policymaking parties

• Parties are key to Scandinavian politics
• 5-party system Conservatives, Agrarians, Social
  Democrats, radical socialists
  
• Social Democrats dominant
• Changes since 1970s
• Rise of populist right
• Party fragmentation
• Voter dealignment

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Political actors and policymaking Interest groups

• (Mainly economic) interest groups are also key to
  Scandinavian politics
  
• Farm co-ops
• Trade unions
• Employers organisations
• Close ties to their parties
• High membership density

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Scandinavian policymaking model

• Consensual policymaking style
• Broad coalitions/large parliamentary majorities
• Widespread consultation
• Gradualism

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The Scandinavian model

• Political consensus
• Managed market economy
• High level of union membership
• Active labour market policy
• Centrally-coordinated labour market
• Tend towards wage equality
• Low unemployment
• Income security
• Welfare state
• Fiscal problems since 1970s

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Current challenges

• Political
• Presence of populist right
• New policy debates environment, gender, Europe
• Economic
• Balancing social inclusion with competitiveness
• Social
• Immigration
• Ageing society
• International
• Globalisation
• European integration