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Elites and the Norwegian Version of the Nordic Model

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Elites in an Egalitarian Society

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Abstract

One main element of the Nordic model is a welfare-state characterised by comprehensive public responsibility for the well-being of citizens and residents. Another main element is an extensive collaboration between a strong trade union movement, centralised employers’ association and the state. Moreover, a unique quality of the Nordic model is that the various policies and institutions interact. There are considerable institutional complementarities between the various elements of the model. The Norwegian version of the Nordic welfare-state model rests on an elite consensus grown out of previous class compromises, and compromises between opposing interest groups. In the chapter, it is argued that the fate of the Norwegian model will depend, to a large extent, upon choices made by members of all the various elite groups within Norwegian society. It is therefore vital to learn how Norwegian elites today relate to the various domains of the Norwegian model and to the various issues dominating discourse in Norway.

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  1. Institute for Social Research, Oslo, Norway

    Trygve Gulbrandsen

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  1. Trygve Gulbrandsen
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Gulbrandsen, T. (2019). Elites and the Norwegian Version of the Nordic Model. In: Elites in an Egalitarian Society. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95984-9_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95984-9_1

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-95983-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-95984-9

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