The universal welfare state: Theory and the case of Sweden
(2004) In Political Studies 52(4). p.745-766- Abstract
- In the existing literature on welfare state typologies, the concept of the universal welfare state is not defined precisely enough to allow for comparisons of universality over time and between countries. In this paper, I discuss some problems with the way the term 'the universal welfare state' has been used and I suggest possible solutions. Among other things, I propose that the term 'universality' be used to describe the provision of a specific welfare benefit independently of individual income and/or other individual characteristics. It should also be used to describe the coverage of welfare benefits rather than their size. Based on the theoretical discussion, a number of possible indicators of universality are applied to the case of... (More)
- In the existing literature on welfare state typologies, the concept of the universal welfare state is not defined precisely enough to allow for comparisons of universality over time and between countries. In this paper, I discuss some problems with the way the term 'the universal welfare state' has been used and I suggest possible solutions. Among other things, I propose that the term 'universality' be used to describe the provision of a specific welfare benefit independently of individual income and/or other individual characteristics. It should also be used to describe the coverage of welfare benefits rather than their size. Based on the theoretical discussion, a number of possible indicators of universality are applied to the case of Sweden in the 1990s. The conclusion is that, despite its economic crisis, universality in Sweden did not decrease. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/897759
- author
- Bergh, Andreas LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2004
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Political Studies
- volume
- 52
- issue
- 4
- pages
- 745 - 766
- publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell
- external identifiers
-
- wos:000225748400006
- scopus:11144298662
- ISSN
- 0032-3217
- DOI
- 10.1111/j.1467-9248.2004.00506.x
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 5cbf7b37-20cd-4b4a-b180-fa17a55aff19 (old id 897759)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 11:40:23
- date last changed
- 2022-01-26 08:33:43
@article{5cbf7b37-20cd-4b4a-b180-fa17a55aff19,
abstract = {{In the existing literature on welfare state typologies, the concept of the universal welfare state is not defined precisely enough to allow for comparisons of universality over time and between countries. In this paper, I discuss some problems with the way the term 'the universal welfare state' has been used and I suggest possible solutions. Among other things, I propose that the term 'universality' be used to describe the provision of a specific welfare benefit independently of individual income and/or other individual characteristics. It should also be used to describe the coverage of welfare benefits rather than their size. Based on the theoretical discussion, a number of possible indicators of universality are applied to the case of Sweden in the 1990s. The conclusion is that, despite its economic crisis, universality in Sweden did not decrease.}},
author = {{Bergh, Andreas}},
issn = {{0032-3217}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{4}},
pages = {{745--766}},
publisher = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
series = {{Political Studies}},
title = {{The universal welfare state: Theory and the case of Sweden}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9248.2004.00506.x}},
doi = {{10.1111/j.1467-9248.2004.00506.x}},
volume = {{52}},
year = {{2004}},
}