This book explores the relationship between democracy and the economy in contemporary political thought and policy-making. Using the concepts of economic, industrial and enterprise democracy, the author focuses on the history of Finland and Sweden during the latter part of the twentieth century. The three concepts are discussed in relation to various political groups, such as social democrats, conservatives and liberals, and the reforms that they were associated with, painting a picture of changing economic thought in the Nordic countries, and the West more generally. Arguing that the concept of democracy has evolved from representative parliamentary democracy towards ‘participation’ in civil society, this book demonstrates how the ideal of individual freedom and choice has surpassed collective decision-making. These shared characteristics between Finland, Sweden and other Western countries challenge the view that the Nordic countries have been exceptional in resisting neoliberalism. In fact, as this book shows, neoliberalism has been influential to the Nordics since the 1970s. Offering an innovative and conceptual perspective on European political history, this book will appeal to scholars interested in Nordic political history and modern European history more generally.

The Finnish economy is a victory over hardship, a success story with few equivalents. During the period 1860-2000 the gross domestic product grew 21-fold, while EU nations on average achieved 11-fold growth. Today, Finland is known for its competitiveness, high educational standards, negligible corruption, expertise in creating and using high technology, and successful companies, most notably Nokia. This book tells how Finland astonishingly evolved from an internationally insignificant agrarian economy to the affluent, knowledge-based, welfare society that it is now. The Road to Prosperity: An Economic History of Finland offers an overview of several centuries of economic progress -- with a keen eye on negative effects of growth. The articles in this beautifully illustrated work contain long-term analyses of business, foreign trade, agriculture, and employment. In addition, there is coverage of the development of banking, the public sector, income distribution, the advance of the information society, and welfare. And the Finnish story is woven seamlessly into the tapestry of international economics. The contributors are prominent scholars of Finnish economic history and economics; the foreword being a product of distinguished American economic historian Joel Mokyr, winner of the Heineken Prize for History 2006.

This text offers an examination of the economic history of the principal Arab countries, Turkey and Israel since 1918. Using the state as its major economic analysis, it charts the growth of national income and issues of welfare and distribution over two periods, 1918-1945 and 1945-1990. Important trends are explored, including the patterns of colonial economic management, import substitution, the impact of the 1970s oil boom, and the current process of liberalization and structural adjustment

Examines Finland's search for a national identity.

Finland has often been ignored or misunderstood by the English-speaking world and this work presents the reader with a readable and authoritative introduction to the life of the Finns and the position of their country in the modern world. The book explains how a small nation, placed in an unfavorable geopolitical situation, won its independence and eventually achieved a high material standard of living together with an enviable degree of social and political stability by adapting itself to the realities of life in an unpromising environment. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

Finland has transformed itself from an agriculture-based economy into one of the leading knowledge-based economies. Aiming to provide valuable lessons for other countries, the book presents key policies, elements, initiatives and decisions behind Finland s transformation into the Knowledge Economy of today.