Abstract
This article builds on recent research on the fortunes of universalism in European social policy by tracing the development of eldercare policy in four Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. Six dimensions of universalism are used to assess whether and how eldercare has been universalized or de-universalized in each country in recent decades and the consequences of the trends thereby identified. We find that de-universalization has occurred in all four countries, but more so in Finland and Sweden than in Denmark and Norway. Available data show an increase in for-profit provision of publicly funded care services (via policies promoting service marketization), and an increase of family care (re-familialization), as well as of services paid out-of-pocket (privatization). These changes have occurred without an explicit attack on universalism or retrenchment of formal rights. Nevertheless, the changes threaten the class- and gender-equalizing potential of Nordic welfare states.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 294-308 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Journal of European Social Policy |
Volume | 28 |
Issue number | 3 |
Early online date | 10 Dec 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jul 2018 |
Keywords
- universalism
- privatisation
- eldercare
- Nordic countries
- re-familialisation