Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T06:07:54.659Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Politics of Universalism: The Case of Finnish Sickness Insurance*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2009

Olli Kangas
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This study identifies the general structural, political and institutional configurations which conditioned the emergence of national health insurance in Finland. Due to late industrialisation, the Finnish case allows the evaluation of the importance of the agrarian versus working class interests in the emergence of the Scandinavian model. The study also seeks to answer how the contending theoretical approaches of the development of the welfare state serve to explain the characteristics of Finnish sickness provisions. After the historical overview, the results of the historical processes are examined by comparing the quality of Finnish sickness insurance with the Swedish, German and British cases, each representing different ideal types of the modern welfare state.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Social Policy , Volume 21 , Issue 1 , January 1992 , pp. 25 - 52
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Ahtokari, Reijo (1988), Tuntematon Vaikuttaja, WSOY, Porvoo, Helsinki and Juva.Google Scholar
Alapuro, Risto (1988), State and Revolution in Finland, California University Press. Berkeley and Los Angeles.Google Scholar
Alestalo, Matti (1986), ‘Structural change, classes and the welfare state: Finland in an historical and comparative perspective’, Research Reports No. 33, Research Group for Comparative Sociology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Alestalo, Matti, Andorka, Rudolf and Harcsa, István (1987), ‘Agricultural population and structural change: a comparison of Finland and Hungary’, Research Reports No. 34, Research Group for Comparative Sociology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Alestalo, Matti, Flora, Peter and Uusitalo, Hannu (1985), ‘Structure and politics in the making of the welfare state’, in Alapuro, Risto, Alestalo, Matti, Haavio-Mannila, Elina and Väyrynen, Raimo (eds), Small states in comparative perspective, Norwegian University Press, Oslo.Google Scholar
Alestalo, Matti and Uusitalo, Hannu (1986), ‘Finland’, in Flora, Peter (ed.), Growth to Limits. The Western European Welfare States Since World War II, de Gruyter, Berlin and New York.Google Scholar
Allardt, Erik and Pesonen, Pertti (1967). ‘Cleavages in Finnish polities’, in Lipset, Seymor Martin and Rokkan, Stein (eds), Party Systems and Voter Alignments, The Free Press, New York.Google Scholar
Baldwin, Peter (1990), Politics of Social Solidarity, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Castles, Francis (1978), The Social Democratic Image of Society, Routledge, London.Google Scholar
Castles, Francis (1982), ‘The impact of parties on public expenditure’, in Castles, Francis (ed.), The Impact of Parties, Sage, London and Beverly Hills.Google Scholar
Castles, Francis (1985), The Working Class and Welfare, Allen and Unwin, Wellington, Sydney, London and Boston.Google Scholar
Castles, Francis (1989), ‘Introduction: puzzles of political economy’, in Castles, Francis (ed.). The Comparative History of Public Policy, Polity Press. Cambridge.Google Scholar
DeViney, Stanley (1983), ‘Characteristics of the state and the expansion of public social expenditure’. Comparative Social Research, Vol. 6.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, Gøsta (1985), Politics Against Markets, Princeton University Press, Princeton and New Jersey.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, Gøsta (1987), ‘State and market in the formation of social security regimes’, Working Papers 87/281, European University Institute, Florence.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, Gøsta (1990), The Three Worlds of Welfare Capitalism, Polity Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, Gøsta and Korpi, Walter (1984), ‘Social policy as class politics in post-war capitalism: Scandinavia, Austria and Germany’, in Goldthorpe, John (ed.). Order and Conflict in Contemporary Capitalism, Clarendon Press, Oxford.Google Scholar
Esping-Andersen, Gøsta and Korpi, Walter (1987), ‘From poor relief to institutional welfare states: the development of Scandinavian social policy’, in Erikson, Robert, Hansen, Erik Jørgen, Ringen, Stein and Uusitalo, Hannu (eds), The Scandinavian Model, Sharpe, New York.Google Scholar
Flora, Peter and Alber, Jens (1981), ‘Modernisation, democratisation and the development of welfare states in Western Europe’, in Flora, Peter and Heidenheimer, Arnold (eds). The Development of Welfare States in Europe and America, Transaction, New Brunswick and London.Google Scholar
Gould, Arthur (1981), ‘The salaried middle class and the corporatist welfare state’, Policy and Politics, 9. 401–18.Google Scholar
Granberg, Leo (1989), Valtio maataloustulojen tasaajana Ja takaajana, Suomen Tiedeseura, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Haataja, Lauri, Hentilä, Seppo, Kalela, Jorma and Turtola, Jussi (eds), Suomen työväenliikkeen historia, Työväen Sivistysliitto, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Heclo, Hugh (1974), Modern Social Politics in Britain and Sweden, Yale University Press, New Haven.Google Scholar
Hippe, Jon and Pedersen, Axel (1988). For Lang Og Tro Tjeneste? Pensioner i Arbeidsmarkedet, FAFO, Oslo.Google Scholar
Immergut, Ellen (1986), ‘Between state and market: sickness benefits and social control’, in Rein, Martin and Rainwater, Lee (eds), Public/Private Interplay in Social Protection, Sharpe, Armonk, New York and London.Google Scholar
Kalela, Jorma (1981). Taistojen tiellä. Paperiliitto, Tampere.Google Scholar
Kalela, Jorma (1989). Työttömyys 1900-luvun suomalaisessa yhteiskuntapolitiikassa, Valtion Painatuskeskus, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Kangas, Olli (1986), ‘Luokkaintressit ja hyvinvointivaltio’. Publications D-84, Helsinki School of Economics, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Kangas, Olli (1988). ‘Politik och ekonomi i pensionsförsäkringen’. Swedish Institute for Social Research. Meddelande No. 5, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Kangas, Olli (1990). ‘The politics of universalism: the making of sickness insurance in Finland’, Publications D-129, Helsinki Schoolof Economics.Google Scholar
Kangas, Olli and Palme, Joakim (1989). ‘Public and private pensions. The Scandinavian countries in a comparative perspective’, Swedish Institute for Social Research, Meddelande No. 3. Stockholm.Google Scholar
Karisto, Antti, Takala, Pentti and Haapola, Ilkka (1988), Elintaso, eiämäntapa, sosiaalipolitiikka. WSOY, Juva.Google Scholar
Kettunen, Pauli (1986). Poliittinen liike ja sosiaalinen kollektiivisuus, Suomen Historiallinen Seura, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Kjellberg, Anders (1983), Facklig organisering i tolv länder, Arkiv, Lund.Google Scholar
Klinge, Matti (1983), Runebergs Iva Fosterland, Söderström, Borgå.Google Scholar
Kohl, Jürgen (1988). ‘Inequality and poverty in old age’, a paper presented at the Workshop on Comparative Research in Social Policy. Labour Markets. Inequality, and Distributional Conflict. Hässleby Slott, Stockholm, August 25–8.Google Scholar
Korpi, Walter (1980), ‘Social policy and distributional conflict in the capitalist democracies’, Western European Politics. 3, 296–316.Google Scholar
Korpi, Walter (1981). The Democratic Class Struggle, Routledge, London.Google Scholar
Korpi, Walter (1989). ‘Power, politics, and state autonomy in the development of social citizenship: social rights during sickness in eighteen OECD countries since 1930’. American Sociological Review, 54: 3. 309–28.Google Scholar
Kosonen, Pekka (1987). Hyvinvointivaltion haasteet ja pohjoismaiset mallit. Vastapaino, Tampere.Google Scholar
Kuhnle, Stein (1981). ‘The growth of social insurance programs in Scandinavia: outside influences and internal forces’, in Flora, Peter and Heidenheimer, Arnold (eds), The Development of Welfare States in Europe and America, Transaction, New Brunswick and London.Google Scholar
Kuhnle, Stein and Selle, Per (1990), ‘Meeting needs in a welfare state’, in Ware, Alan and Goodin, Robert (eds), Needs and Welfare, Sage, London.Google Scholar
Loikkanen, Jouko (1973). Hallilse ja hajoa, Kirjayhtymä, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Mackie, Thomas and Rose, Richard (1974). The International Almanac of Electoral History, Macmillan, London.Google Scholar
Mannio, Niilo (1967). Sosiaalipoliitikon kokemuksia, WSOY, Porvo, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Mansner, Markku (1984), Suomalaista yhteiskuntaa rakentamassa, Suomen Työnantajien Keskusliitto 1940–1956, Teollisuuden Kustannus, Helsinki.Google Scholar
Marklund, Staffan (1982), Klass, stat och socialpolitik, Arkiv, Lund.Google Scholar
Marklund, Staffan (1988a), Paradise Lost?, Arkiv, Lund.Google Scholar
Marklund, Staffan (1988b), ‘Welfare state policies in the tripolar class model of Scandinavia’, Politics and Society. 16: 4, 469–85.Google Scholar
Niemalä, Heikki (1988), Suomen kokonaiseläkejärjestelmän muotoutuminen. Kansaneläkelaitoksen Julkaisuja. Helsinki.Google Scholar
Nousiainen, Jaakko (1971). The Finnish Political System, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.Google Scholar
O'Higgins, Michael (1985). ‘Welfare, redistribution and inequality—disillusion, illusion and reality’. in Bean, Philip, Ferris, Jon and Whynes, David (eds). in Defence of Welfare, Tavistock, London.Google Scholar
Olsson, Sven E. (1987). ‘Towards a transformation of the Swedish Welfare State?’, in Friedmann, Robert R., Gilbert, Neil and Sherer, Moshe (eds). Modern Welfare States, Wheatsheaf Books. Brighton.Google Scholar
Olsson, Sven E. (1989), ‘Working-class power and the 1946 pension reform in Sweden’, International Review of Social History. XXXIV: 2. 287–308.Google Scholar
Orloff, Ann Shola and Skocpol, Theda (1984). ‘Why not equal protection?: explaining the politics of public spending in Britain, 1900–1911. and the United States. 1880s–1920, American Sociological Review, 49; 6, 726–50.Google Scholar
Palme, Joakim (1990). Pension Rights in Welfare Capitalism. Swedish Institute for Research, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Pampel, Fred and Stryker, Robin (1988). ‘State context and welfare development in advanced industrial democracies 1950–1980’. Sociology Working Paper Series, The University of Iowa, Iowa.Google Scholar
Pettersen, Pern Arnt (1982). Linjer i Norsk sosialpolitikk. Universitetsforlaget. Oslo.Google Scholar
Rein, Martin and Rainwater, Lee (1986), ‘The institutions of social protection’, in Rein, Martin and Rainwater, Lee (eds), Public/Private Interplay in Social Protection. Sharpe, Armonk. New York and London.Google Scholar
SAF (1986). ‘Insurance schemes in the Swedish Labour Market’. Swedish Employers' Confederation, Stockholm.Google Scholar
Salminen, Kari (1987). ‘Yhteiskunnan rakenne, politiikka ja eläketurva. Eläketurvakeskus. Tutkimuksia 2. Helsinki.Google Scholar
Skocpol, Theda (1985). ‘Bringing the State back in: strategies of analysis in current research’, in Evans, Peter, Rueschemeyer, Dietrich and Skocpol, Theda (eds), Bringing the State Back In, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
SOU (1981), Statens offentliga utrednigar. Sjukersättningsfrågor. Socialdepartmentet, Stockholm.Google Scholar
SSIB. Data bank compiled in research project ‘Svensk socialpolitik i internationell belysning’, Swedish Institute for Social Research, University of Stockholm.Google Scholar
SSPTW (1983). Social Security Programs Throughout the World. Research Paper 59, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Svallfors, Stefan (1989), Vem älskar välfärdsstaten?. Lund, Arkiv.Google Scholar
Therborn, Göran (1986a). ‘The working class and the welfare state’, in Kettunen, Pauli (ed.). Det nordiska i del nordiska arbetarrörelsen, Finnish Society for Labour History and Cultural Tradition, Tammerfors.Google Scholar
Therborn, Göran (1986b). ‘Neo-Marxist, pluralist, corporatist, statist theories and the welfare state’. in Kazancigil, Ali (ed.). The State in Global Perspective, Gower, Aldershot.Google Scholar
Urwin, Derek (1980), From Ploughshare to Ballot Box. The Politics of Agrarian Defence in Europe, Universitetsforlaget, Oslo. Bergen and TromsøGoogle Scholar
Uusitalo, Hannu (1984), ‘Comparative research on the determinants of the welfare state: the state of the art’, European Journal of Political Research. 12, 403–22.Google Scholar
Uusitalo, Hannu (1985). ‘Luokkarakenne ja intressien organisoituminen’. Sosiologia, 22: 3, 165–76.Google Scholar
Väisänen, Ilkka (1989), ‘Conflict, consensus and legitimacy in social policy development: the case of workmen's compensation’, Swedish Institute for Social Research (Stencil).Google Scholar
Weir, Margaret and Skocpol, Theda (1985), ‘State structures and the possibilities for “Keynesian” responses to the Great Depression in Sweden, Britain and the United States’, in Evans, Peter, Rueschemeyer, Dietrich and Skocpol, Theda (eds), Bringing the State Back In. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar