A Study of Finnish Social Policy from the Perspective of Historical Development of Kela (Kansaneläkelaitos)

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  • 国民年金機構Kela (Kansaneläkelaitos) の歴史展開から見るフィンランドの社会政策
  • 国民年金機構Kela(Kansanelakelaitos)の歴史的展開から見るフィンランドの社会政策
  • コクミン ネンキン キコウ Kela(Kansanelakelaitos)ノ レキシテキ テンカイ カラ ミル フィンランド ノ シャカイ セイサク

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Kela, established as an institution directly under parliament in 1937 with the enactment of the National Pension Law, has been a major player in Finnish social policy and a unique organization in international comparison. The purpose of this paper is to examine Finnish social policy from the perspective of historical development of Kela. It can be pointed out that Kela is a political organization with a strong connection with Finnish agrarian party since its establishment. The long-standing strong connection of those has limited the role of the Social Democratic Party, and the Finnish social policy has been strongly influenced by the idea of the agrarian party. The agrarian party has consisted to cover all population universally and pushed flat-rate social insurance when Social Democratic Party suggested income-related benefits for wage workers. As a result, cash benefits is more used in Finland and income-related benefits has been placed outside national or Kela scheme. Finnish social policy has been developed with conflict between rural and cities. As a result, preference for rural area has been more emphasized, which has strengthened Kela's power and role in Finnish social policy. Kela's impact toward Finnish social policy has been crucial and it may suggest a diversity of ‘social democratic regime’ of Nordic welfare states.

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