Defending the Nordic model: Understanding the moral universe of the Norwegian working class

Abstract

ABSTRACT In recent years, much attention has been paid to the white working class’ concern with their declining position in the neoliberal era. The hypothesis that social and economic insecurity provoke anger and xenophobia are unable to account for the Norwegian case. The Nordic model still acts as a buffer against neoliberal capitalism, making the white Norwegian working class less vulnerable than in comparable countries. This paper will argue that the Norwegian working class has defended the Nordic model by utilising a range of moral values. I use 56 qualitative interviews to examine the morality of the white Norwegian working class. The study is theoretically and methodologically inspired by Boltanski and Thévenot's work on ranking and legitimisation. The cultural configuration observed here deviates in certain ways from previous accounts in the USA, the UK, and France. The substance of Norwegian working-class morality emerges as different cultural repertoires which can be represented by three moral ideal types: the Good Samaritan, the socially responsible citizen, and the hardworking person. Furthermore, this paper suggests elements of cultural–historical continuity to explain the patterns observed.