In the early 1990s, deep economic crisis hit the Nordic countries.¹ The welfare states were under pressure to meet the challenges of increased levels of unemployment and aging populations. In addition, neoliberalism brought calls to cut back the role of the state and to develop a welfare mix of different providers. All of the Nordic countries experienced a deep economic recession in the early 1990s, but due to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the ensuing loss of exports, Finland was hit particularly hard.² Starting in 1991, the gross domestic product (GDP) declined for 3 years in a row, shrinking by 13 percent, and the country went from full employment to 17 percent unemployment. Faced with the collapse of banks and uncontrollable budget deficits, the government introduced austerity programs that cut benefits and raised taxes.³ Finland was a latecomer among the Nordic welfare states.⁴ The intensive period of universalist welfare state construction did not start before the 1970s. In the 1990s, it ended abruptly. Moreover, a new economic crisis emerged after the economic collapse of 2008. The process of restructuring welfare state provision gave faith-based organizations new opportunities to provide poverty relief. Given the strong role of congregational level church poverty relief, Finland is chosen for the purpose of this study as an example of a Nordic welfare state.⁵ With the help of unique data on church poverty relief in Finland collected over a 25-year period, this study aims to examine the role of church poverty relief during two economic recessions.⁶

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危机时期的教会扶贫？芬兰福音路德教会的经历

在1990年代初期，严重的经济危机席卷了北欧国家。¹福利国家承受着应对失业率上升和人口老龄化的挑战的压力。此外，新自由主义带来了减少国家角色并发展不同提供者的福利组合的呼吁。在1990年代初期，所有北欧国家都经历了严重的经济衰退，但是由于苏联解体和随之而来的出口损失，芬兰遭受的打击尤其严重。²从1991年开始，国内生产总值（GDP）连续3年下降，缩水了13％，该国从充分就业变成了17％的失业。面对银行倒闭和不可控制的预算赤字，政府出台了紧缩计划，削减了福利并提高了税收。³芬兰是北欧福利国家中的后来者。⁴普遍主义福利国家建设的密集时期是在1970年代之前才开始的。在1990年代，它突然结束了。此外，在2008年经济崩溃之后，又出现了新的经济危机。福利国家条款的重组过程为基于信仰的组织提供了新的机会来减轻贫困。鉴于公理会教堂扶贫的强大作用，本研究选择芬兰作为北欧福利国家的一个例子。⁵在25年间收集的有关芬兰教会减贫的独特数据的帮助下，本研究旨在研究两次经济衰退期间教会减贫的作用。⁶