Poverty and Low Income in the Nordic Countries
Ashgate Publishing Limited
Published on 28. February 2000
Book
Hardback
240 pages
978-1-84014-810-7 (ISBN)
Description
This text results from an initiative by the Nordic Council and Nordic Council of Ministers to better understand the structure and development of poverty and low-income in the five Nordic countries: Denmark; Finland; Iceland; Norway; and Sweden. The main question posed is how has the number of people living with low income changed and what characterizes such households? Since no official poverty line has been defined in Nordic countries, the study examines different definitions of poverty and discusses the change in poverty rates and poverty composition in the light of those different definitions. It concludes that: transfer payments from the public sector are largely responsible for the fact that, from an international point of view, relatively few people suffer from poverty in Nordic countries, ie. the welfare state works. Poverty among the elderly has fallen drastically since the mid 1970s as pension systems introduced earlier had taken effect. Poverty is increasing among the young population, ie. the welfare state has not developed a system to provide for young people who do not have the skills to enter the labour market.
For many, poverty is short term, but having been poor early on increases the risk of returning to poverty. So far the Nordic countries have been relatively homogeneous, but inequality is on the increase.
For many, poverty is short term, but having been poor early on increases the risk of returning to poverty. So far the Nordic countries have been relatively homogeneous, but inequality is on the increase.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Ltd
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
figures
Dimensions
Height: 154 mm
Width: 226 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-84014-810-7 (9781840148107)
Copyright in bibliographic data is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or its licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Content
Low incomes in Denmark, 1980-1995; income poverty in Finland 1971 to 1995; poverty in Iceland; extent, level and distribution of low income in Norway, 1979-1995; poverty in Sweden changes 1975-1995, profile and dynamics; conclusions.