Authors

• Allardt, Erik (University of Helsinki)
• University of Helsinki. Research Group for Comparative Sociology

Keywords

leisure time, living conditions, quality of life, social welfare, standard of living

Abstract

The survey describes the standard of living in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark and analyses various dimensions of welfare: living standards, loyalties, experiences of self-realisation, alienation, happiness and dissatisfaction. The respondents were asked about things related with income, property, living, work, employment, social equality, education and health. Also the social standing and education of different generations (the respondents' own parents and grandfathers and the spouse's father) were studied. Questions asked included friends, the number of them, their sex, age, profession and the intensity and duration of friendships. In addition, questions about relationships with family, relatives and neighbours were included, along with a question about how long the respondents had been living in their home community. The respondents were also asked about their hobbies, how they spend their leisure time, about how active they are politically and of their childhood circumstances.