Universalism in the age of workfare: attitudes to basic income in Sweden and Finland

The Nordic countries are widely respected for their universal social policy. ‘Universalism’ in this context means that the right to social security is guaranteed on the basis of either citizenship or residency. Social security in Central Europe – Germany, for example – is more closely tied in with the position in the labour market, whereas in the Anglo-Saxon countries – in Australia and New Zealand in particular – benefits are conditional on the basis of need.