ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE WELFARE-STATE HAVE SEVERAL DIMENSIONS - EVIDENCE FROM FINLAND

The dimensions and structures of opinions on the welfare state are not well known. This study distinguishes five dimensions based on previou s literature: responsibility for welfare, financing of the welfare sta te, the use of benefits, the adequacy of the welfare state benefits an d the effects of the welfare state. One or more attitude indicators ar e formed for each dimension by means of factor analysis of empirical m aterial. Examination of the correlations between the dimensions and at titudes yields two opinion structures. A supportive attitude structure is founded on the concept that public authorities have responsibility for welfare services, a positive attitude towards public financing of welfare services, and on the concepts that the amount and quality of services and the level of income transfers is not adequate. The critic al cluster of attitudes is formed by the reliance on private responsib ility, negative attitude towards public financing and on the concepts that benefits are overused and that the welfare state makes its client s passive. Finally, the variation in attitudes among the population of Finland are studied by means of regression analysis. Social class, ag e and political party sympathies are the most important explanatory fa ctors for a range of attitudes.