B2 Non-refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book

Walks the walk, but doesn't talk the talk: Finnish exceptionalism from the Nordic perspective




AuthorsKangas, Olli; Niemelä, Mikko

EditorsJani Erola, Pasi Moisio, Johanna Peltoniem

Publication year2026

Book title Beyond the Nordic Welfare State: Extending Social Investments with Interventions

First page 98

Last page120

ISBN978-1-03-537543-1

eISBN978-1-03-537544-8

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.4337/9781035375448.00014

Publication's open availability at the time of reportingOpen Access

Publication channel's open availability Partially Open Access publication channel

Web address https://doi.org/10.4337/9781035375448.00014

Self-archived copy’s web addresshttps://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/515607979

Self-archived copy's licenceCC BY NC ND

Self-archived copy's versionPublisher`s PDF


Abstract

In the “Nordic welfare state model”, there are common cornerstones, but their size and position are not the same in all five countries. Despite differences in the political economy of the welfare state and the timing of implementing social protection, the Finnish variant fulfills the criteria of the Nordic welfare state. Similar results can be achieved through multiple approaches. Each of the Nordic countries is similar in its own way, especially Finland. Also, despite there not being much discussion about social investments as an instrument to achieve investment goals, the results show that Finland complies very well with the core ideas of the social investment paradigm. Hence, it seems that the logic of social investment has become institutionalized in Finnish social policymaking without much social investment rhetoric. The Finns do not talk the talk, but they walk the walk!


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Last updated on 02/03/2026 09:17:46 AM