A liberalistic handling of new social risks - Danish experiences from three decades of social policy reforms

Abstract

The welfare state can be regarded as ‘an expression of institutionalized solidarity’ (Stjernø 2004: 338). Indeed, institutionalized solidarity has been ascribed to the Nordic welfare states, whose origin and maturation have been strongly associated with Social Democratic ideology (Esping-Andersen 1990). Yet, recent decades have seen reforms that have made observers wonder if some of the Nordic countries are departing from the Social Democratic model. This chapter, using Denmark as a case, aims to discuss to what extent the handling of new social risks incorporated into social policy complies with the political ideology of liberalism.