ABSTRACT
The origins of the Western welfare state date back to the last quarter of the nineteenth century and are closely associated with the major social, economic and political transformations of the time. From 1980s, based on the results of a number of comparative studies, the concept of a 'Nordic' or 'Scandinavian' model or 'welfare regime type' has successfully entered the vocabulary, whether that of international organizations, scholars or the mass media covering the Nordic countries. The notion of a Nordic or Scandinavian welfare model, the analytical findings of a very comprehensive literature can be summarized in three master concepts: The Nordic welfare state is about stateness, universalism and equality. Another important element that goes beyond the pure characteristics of the welfare system as such must be included in order to understand the evolution of 'the politics of welfare'; that is, how formal and informal systems of governance have impacted the welfare state and continuous reform efforts and decisions.
