ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses features of the Nordic Model which have possibly contributed to the success of the Nordic countries measured by such indicators as the Eurobarometer and European Commission. Neo-liberalists claim that socialist regimes are inflexible, bureaucratic structures which inhibit dynamic change, democracy and prosperity. Globalization demands the liberalization and flexibilization of the Nordic Model, on the enterprise level as well as on the regional and national levels. Neo-liberalism can be construed as a twisted conceptualization of Adam Smith's theory of political economy. Collaborative arrangements, laws and regulations lead to a kind of independence or freedom that is more valuable than the simplistic freedom that allows arbitrary clashes between disinterested or unstructured individuals. The Nordic Model is believed to be inappropriate for the requirements of contemporary working life due to significant changes in the 'old' industrial society.