The Nordic Model

Nordic model refers to the social models of the Nordic countries of the European Union. The general features of the system are: equality between men and woman, active employment policy, environment protection and sustainable development, education, lifelong learning, decentralised social models, universal social system, a high level of public expenses and heavily unionised workforce.

“ The Nordic model is widely regarded as a benchmark. A number of comparative studies of economic and social performance have ranked the Nordics high. A common finding of cross-country comparisons is that the Nordics succeed better than other countries in combining economic efficiency and growth with a peaceful labour market, a fair distribution of income and social cohesion. The model is pointed to as a source of inspiration for other people in their search for a better social and economic system. On the other hand, many observers around the world are amazed that “the bumble-bee can fly” – that the Nordic economies can prosper and grow in spite of the presumably weak economic incentives associated with high tax wedges, a generous social security system and an egalitarian distribution of income. Critics have been looking for inner contradictions in the model and they have questioned its sustainability. Some argue that the economic performance of the Nordic countries is simply a result of exceptional and temporary advantages, bound to disappear over time.” ( The Nordic Model, Embracing globalization and sharing risk, The research institute of the Finnish Economy ETLA, page 12 ).”

I am not a great devotee of the Nordic model and the above mentioned research based report is one of the most hilarious readings I have done for a long time. It does not even vainly touch the basics of what we need to stay well. Why to called it as a report even though it has all the humanistic lacks that an academic studies normally have. Nothing against the “report” but my point is that as it was made for ETLA for this should be considered from the part of us mortals as something “ true “, something to use in our university classes and as so much money probably was spent again for it, it would have being more interesting for it to included the humanistic side of life as well. Well I don’t question it to be usefull for business studies but as always…

The Nordic model as welfare state has been able to stay put, after my opinion, because of its Lutheran value based working moral. However the system itself is decaying its own ankle as we Nordics are not rewarded for working but for not working; A large class of people who are very happy with their unemployment benefits and have no inclination to ever find work. And hey, most of us is becoming atheistic anyway.

What we did learn from the social bubble that we blew and also made explode in the early 1990s. Nothing. Would somebody have enough courage to abandon the still applicated model that works for us poorly considering its long term impacts? We are still believing that cutting smaller expensies is enough instead of having sufficient will to touch the bigger costs and make perhaps a right move. We don’t like to commit political suicides in Finland. To go to pull out some of the basic pillars of our right believed social system and place it with an another pillar would be something far too outrageous for us to do.

Therefore, for those ones fed up with high tax rate or too solidar pay policy, I recommend to leave the country. The Nordic system could be easily ruined as globalisation becomes a more accepted part of our personal life. It would take about 200.000 highly educated brains to leave "us" to shake things, at least, for a little bit.

Finland, Finland, Finland
The country where I want to be
Pony trekking or camping
Or just watching TV
Finland, Finland, Finland
It's the country for me

You're so near to Russia
So far from Japan
Quite a long way from Cairo
Lots of miles from Vietnam

Finland, Finland, Finland
The country where I want to be
Eating breakfast or dinner
Or snack lunch in the hall
Finland, Finland, Finland
Finland has it all

You're so sadly neglected
And often ignored
A poor second to Belgium
When going abroad

Finland, Finland, Finland
The country where I quite want to be
Your mountains so lofty
Your treetops so tall
Finland, Finland, Finland
Finland has it all

Finland, Finland, Finland
The country where I quite want to be
Your mountains so lofty
Your treetops so tall
Finland, Finland, Finland
Finland has it all

Finland has it all

Finland – Monty Python