This proportion must rise by five percentage points a year until, in 2002, half of such recipients are being actively prepared to leave the welfare roll.

ECONOMIST: Welfare reform

The second risk is that the Nordics will let slip a golden opportunity to reform welfare and roll back the state's interference in the private sector.

ECONOMIST: Remodelling Scandinavia

Their research won support from, and gave support to, conservative politicians keen to roll back the costly welfare policies of the post-1945 years.

ECONOMIST: WHAT WE LEARN FROM TWINS: The mirror of your soul | The