Rationales and Ideas behind ‘Workfare’ Reforms in Denmark, Sweden and Finland since the early 1990s Johannes Kananen Centre for Nordic Studies University of Helsinki

University of Helsinki, Johannes Kananen2 Background Theoretical perspective on workfare reforms: in the Nordic countries they indicate a renegotiation of the post-war collectivistic social order, but the question remains open whether policies are more enabling or constraining Methodological approach: top-down policy paradigm analysis of legislative documents (legislative acts and government bills) concerning key legislation, analysed in a comparative and dynamic manner Main argument: this approach is needed in order to take a critical distance from central administrative categories and also before a more ’grass root’ level analysis may be carried out

University of Helsinki, Johannes Kananen3 Key dimensions Shared impulse towards reform, but fundamental differences in the three countries: Dynamics and contexts vary: most importantly, the level of unemployment has been different during reforms which affects management of insider/outsider divisions Level of discretion left for front-line authorities in the legislation varies: Denmark and Sweden high, Finland low Formulation of rights and obligations varies between the three countries View on benefit recipients and the way they are expected to behave varies between countries These dimensions are important when assessing underlying ideas, aims and rationales

University of Helsinki, Johannes Kananen4 Key results Finnish workfare reforms best characterised as aiming to control unwanted behaviour among benefit recipients – also an underlying aim to establish an insider/outsider division within the labour force in order to maximise the supply of labour Danish workfare reforms can be characterised to create a new deal for the unemployed – clearly established rights and obligations – aim to treat uninsured and insured workers similarly and thus to counteract insider/outsider divisions Swedish workfare reforms can be understood as increasing the obligations of income support recipients – aim to treat uninsured and insured workers similarly and thus to counteract insider/outsider divisions

University of Helsinki, Johannes Kananen5 Conclusions More legislative activity does not necessarily mean wider social rights, question remains: are the policies more enabling than constraining? Sweden and Denmark appear more similar regarding the identified key dimensions –> aim to counteract insider/outsider dimensions, whereas Finland stands out as a case of its own Workfare reforms represent political effort to translate the international reform impulse into national traditions and policies, here Denmark and Sweden have negotiated a compromise between traditional Nordic policies whereas Finland has clearly broken up with the policy tradition