This book studies the emergence of the regulatory state in Europe and its impact on democratic governance in Scandinavia. On the basis of comparative studies on various government structures in Scandinavia and the EU, the author analyses the repercussions of the change from government to dominant non-parliamentary democratic governance. In addition, readers will be introduced to the organizational and institutional changes and developments caused by economic and welfare state reforms. A cutting-edge resource, the book will appeal to students and scholars of political science and political economics, while also offering an engaging read for civil servants and policymakers.

Following the traditional Scandinavian welfare state model, the Nordic/Scandinavian model has recently become popular as a basic concept for shaping future approaches to European social politics. Challenging the Anglo-Saxon model(s) and the Continental model(s), the Nordic/Scandinavian model is regarded as a compromise between the two. In the context of this model, this engaging and comprehensive book presents a comparative discussion of the pursuit of innovation in the public sector.The author provides extensive examples from contemporary shifting regulatory environments in Scandinavia and argues that the importance of the Nordic/Scandinavian model path is due to its emphasis on social equality and active labour market policy. High public welfare expenses and heavy tax burden are compensated by high work productivity, low unemployment, flexible labour market, and encouraging subsidiarity policies. The outcome is 'flexicurity' which indicates that the flexible labour market's mode of functioning depends, per se, on the continuing existence of universal social security and public neighbourhood services. A fascinating read for students and scholars of public policy and European and Scandinavian studies, this book will also be of interest to civil servants and policymakers across the world.

Taming the Regulatory State incisively analyses the regulatory top-down regimes that are currently dominant and in crisis. Taking a critical perspective, the book offers an account of the inherent vulnerability of the regulatory state caused by one-sided economic thinking and the predominance of governing through hard regulation. Regulatory governance is inclined to eliminate transparency and downgrades the importance of social forces. One striking case that exposes these underlying tensions is the activity of the state-run international investment funds. This volume sets the Norwegian Pension Fund - Global (formerly the Norwegian Petroleum Fund) into this context and shows how the attempt to regulate through ethical guidelines is an illuminating example of an effort, however imperfect, to revive politics and ethics in areas where the market focus usually obscures other considerations. This state-of-the-art book will be invaluable for students and scholars of political science and political economy and will also provide an engaging read for civil servants and policymakers.

The Nordic Social Welfare State Model has its intellectual roots in the depression of the 1930s, but was formed in the 1950s and got its name in the 1970s. Following the traditional model, it has recently become popular as a basic concept for shaping future approaches to European and US social politics. Challenging the Anglo-Saxon models, the Nordic models framework is regarded as a path that could be adjusted and followed. In the context of this model, this engaging and comprehensive book presents a comparative discussion of developments and innovations. The authors provide extensive examples of contemporary shifting pressure from external environments, showing how the model through the years is becoming modified without losing power due to its emphasis on social equality, solid pension arrangements, universal health care and active labor market policy.

This is an ambitious study of the regulatory state and represents a timely and apposite analysis. It incisively analyses the regulatory top-down regimes that are currently dominant and in crisis. Taking a critical perspective, the book offers an account of inherent vulnerability of regulatory governance caused by one-sided economic thinking and the predominance of steering without rowing. From this thinking it has become common to derive a suggestion that regulatory governance is a universal solution to most problems nationally and internationally. It is not. Rich with contemporary cases it will contribute to a better understanding of recent policy trends in western democracy. This state-of-the-art book will be invaluable for students, researchers and scholars of political science, sociology and political economy and will also provide an engaging read for civil servants and policy-makers around the world.

This book analyses the regulatory regimes that are now having their day of dominance. The traditional ideal of democracy as governance by the people has been overshadowed by the practice of governance over the people through extensive top-down regulatory measures. In the regulatory state, the concepts of regulation as authoritative rules and agree normative action lead to the important distinction between 'hard regulation' and 'soft regulation'. This book offers an account of the inherent vulnerability of the regulatory state caused by one-sided economic thinking and the predominance of governing through hard regulation. The implementation of policies has been taken over by technocratic, 'unelected' arm's length state bodies, which govern over more than by the people. This book focuses on contextual universal issues but with selected cases from Scandinavia and the regulatory European Union.

This book studies the emergence of the regulatory state in Europe and its impact on democratic governance in Scandinavia. On the basis of comparative studies on various government structures in Scandinavia and the EU, the author analyses the repercussions of the change from government to dominant non-parliamentary democratic governance. In addition, readers will be introduced to the organizational and institutional changes and developments caused by economic and welfare state reforms. A cutting-edge resource, the book will appeal to students and scholars of political science and political economics, while also offering an engaging read for civil servants and policymakers.

Keynesian Policies - A New Deal in the European Narrative: Employment, Equality and Sustainability has its intellectual roots in the Great Depression of the 1930s followed by the appearance of Keynesianism. The founder of Keynesian macroeconomics was the British economist John Maynard Keynes (1883-1946). His macroeconomics became a worldwide political economic approach, and made the social democratic welfare state model that has been coming up in Europe. In the US, the reform of Roosevelts New Deal came out of Keynesian thinking as a huge nation-building project. Keynesian economics served as the standard economic model in developed nations, creating the post-war economic expansion (19451973), though it lost some influence following the oil shock and resulting stagflation of the 1970s. The advent of the financial crisis of 200708 caused a resurgence in Keynesian thought, which continues as new Keynesian economics. The authors provide extensive analyses and examples of earlier and contemporary shifting pressure from external environments, showing how the Keynesianism ideology has been modified over time. This book is a fascinating read for students and scholars of economic, social and sustainable policies. It will also be of great interest to civil servants and policymakers across the world.

This book advances innovative arguments and presents original evidence to shed light on the Western diversity of administrative strategies of our time. In an excellent way, it presents an original account of national governance politics. The authors demonstrate persuasively that the strengthening of strategic thinking has had important consequences for the domestic strategies of collaboration and mobilisation for redistribution, counteracting negative globalisation effects. For its thoughtful arguments and rich empirical basis, this book deserves to become a key reference in the literature on diversified administrative strategies and governance in a world of change. What about the survival of New Public Management (NPM) governance? What about democracy? The book contributes to the political economy of administrative strategies and governance processes in the realm of the Nordic welfare state model, with a specific focus on the states of Norway and Sweden as contributors to the subject. Beyond that, the chapter authors have already made their mark through joint and individual works. In this volume, they take their thinking one-step further, inquiring into theory and the manner in which the adjudication of disputes can be a catalyst for democracy and agreements in partnerships and national governments. The book further presents a number of highly insightful case studies to tease out the projected linkages. This thought-provoking book is a must-read for all theoreticians and practitioners in the field of political and social sciences.