Attitudes toward Welfare Policy in Sweden Revisited

Abstract

This article shows that by using more sophisticated statistical methods, we can achieve better results in our understanding of welfare attitudes. By using the same data as a previous study, this article shows that welfare attitudes actually have two dimensions: support for big government and support for equality. When this second dimension is added, the common conclusion no longer holds up that Swedes are not more positive toward welfare policies than other European countries. Instead, it turns out that Swedes are much more positive toward equality than in European countries with more liberal and conservative welfare regimes. This indicates that political culture matters more than previously thought. Swedes are not more likely than other Europeans to desire welfare benefits, but they are more likely to support an egalitarian tax system that can finance these benefits. They are also more likely to see welfare benefits as a means to achieving equality, rather than simply a means for fulfilling needs. This article also contradicts the common claim that social democratic welfare regimes create gender divisions, in which women become more supportive than men of welfare policies. Finally, this article also supports the social citizenship hypothesis, by showing those who support generous welfare policies and income equality are more likely to vote for leftist parties. That is, social democratic parties have a political incentive to introduce universialist policies that create support for welfare programs, since this increases their chances of winning elections.