Hannes H. Gissurarson: Iceland a Normal Nordic Country

Professor Hannes H. Gissurarson read a paper on “Poverty in Iceland 1991–2004” at a meeting of the Association of Icelandic Historians 9 October 2012. There he analysed claims by Professor Stefan Olafsson that poverty had been more extensive in Iceland in 2003 than in the other Nordic countries, and that the distribution of income had become more uneven in Iceland in 2004 than in the other Nordic countries. He argued that neither claim was true. In fact, a survey made by the statistical office of the European Union and published in February 2007 showed that (relative) poverty was less in Iceland in 2003 than in any other European country with the exception of Sweden, and that the distribution of income in Iceland was in 2004 similar to that in the other Nordic countries. Professor Gissurarson argued, however, that the most important task was not to facilitate poverty, but to create opportunities to get out of it. His paper is available here on Youtube.

Gissurarson Slides 9.10.2012